


And Baby Makes Six

by withpractice_ff



Category: Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: F/M, Family Drama, Infidelity, M/M, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-19
Updated: 2010-05-24
Packaged: 2017-10-21 10:32:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/224195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withpractice_ff/pseuds/withpractice_ff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An unplanned pregnancy complicates the Wright family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**June 20th, 2027 8:15pm  
The Wright-Gramarye Household**

Thalassa comes home to find a shirtless Phoenix Wright on the couch, two bottles of wine--one empty, the other just started--on the coffee table in front of him. She frowns.

"Apollo and Machi are at Trucy's show?" she asks hesitantly. She already knows the answer.

Phoenix turns to look at her, seemingly surprised by her presence. After looking her over, he says, "Yeah. Trucy wants to stay late tonight to watch the headliner, a Miss Faan Tastique. I asked Apollo to stay with her."

"Oh, right," she says, and drops her bag at the foot of the couch.

She and Phoenix have never been particularly close, although they're friendly with each other and they get along well. She'd worried that moving everyone in together would be difficult, and that it would especially strain her relationship with Phoenix, but actually it's gone rather smoothly. Phoenix, to her great relief, has shown no resentment about sharing Trucy with a new parent, which had been her biggest concern.

Still, she'd been hoping to grow closer to the man now that they live together. She feels more like his roommate than someone he's raising a child with. She'd been hoping--

"Care for a glass of wine?" Phoenix asks, interrupting her train of thought.

"Oh, okay," she says, and sits down on the couch next to him. There's two clean glasses on the table as well--apparently he's been drinking straight from the bottle--and he pours a generous amount of the dark red liquid into one of them before handing it to her.

"How was your day?" he asks as he fills the second glass for himself.

Thalassa's day was not particularly exciting--she dropped Trucy and Machi off at school; she watched Apollo's trial from the gallery, then grabbed some lunch with him afterward; after they parted ways, she did some grocery shopping; and then she went for a walk, from which she just returned--but she tells Phoenix all about it anyway, knowing he doesn't care if she's a little boring.

He nods politely as she talks, never interrupting or interjecting. He seems a bit out of sorts--maybe it's just the wine--but she doesn't say anything. Phoenix has always seemed so secretive.

"No he's not," Trucy said when Thalassa once asked her about it. "Daddy tells me everything."

"Really?" Thalassa asked, curious and doubtful.

"Well, except the things he doesn't," Trucy replied, smiling broadly.

"So what about you?" she asks as Phoenix pours her a second glass of wine. "What did you do today?"

Phoenix shrugs, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. His lean back ripples and flexes with the movement; Thalassa does her best to ignore it, instead looking down at her hands. He says, "Not much. You know, same old same old."

Thalassa doesn't mention that she actually has no idea what he does with his days. She understands that he is somehow involved as a consultant or something on the Jurist System, although that ship seems to be sailing smoothly at this point, and she's under the impression that he's been spending some time looking into getting his attorney's license reinstated. No one has spoken of this to her directly, but she's overheard Phoenix and Apollo discussing something of that nature. It's unclear if this is something Phoenix is actively pursuing, or if it's just something Apollo would like him to look into.

Phoenix leans back into the couch, his shoulder brushing hers. She takes a deep sip of her wine and shifts away from him slightly. She waits for him to elaborate, but he doesn't.

"Is everything okay?" she asks.

Phoenix sighs, bringing one arm up to cover his eyes. "Do you ever feel like what you want doesn't matter?"

"I used to," she says quietly. "Often. Before my memory came back."

Phoenix scowls, feeling like an asshole. "Thalassa, I'm sorry. I'm being melodramatic."

She shakes her head, "No, don't be sorry. I don't believe anyone's feelings are ever invalid."

Phoenix nods, but he still feels like a dick. When he doesn't say anything, Thalassa presses, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly," Phoenix says, then slides his eyes in her direction. "Is that okay?"

"Of course."

Another silence settles between them. Eventually she says, "Sometimes in life it's hard to see the good that's all around you. You and I are blessed, Phoenix, to have found a family who loves us and is willing to be loved by us. I can't speak for what goes on outside of these walls, but I can assure you that everyone in this house cares very deeply about your happiness."

Phoenix says nothing, staring at the wall in front of him.

Thalassa adds quietly, "I care very deeply about what you want."

He turns to look at her, a gentleness in his eyes that she's seen before, but never directed at her. She's flustered under that gaze, and she's about to say something else, something distracting, when he kisses her softly, cupping her face in his hands.

"That's exceptionally kind of you," he says, his face inches from hers.

She meets his gaze, searching. His breath smells of the wine they've been drinking, but his face looks so open. Throwing aside her caution, she leans in and kisses him back. His lips are pliant and willing under hers, and she's relieved when his arms come up around her.

Somehow, improbably, they end up in Phoenix's bedroom. Already mostly undressed, Phoenix pulls off his pants and boxers in one go before falling onto the bed, leaving Thalassa to fend for herself. She feels strange, undressing while Phoenix watches her.

Naked, she climbs into bed next to him. He's hard, and she reaches between his legs to take him in her hands. He moans, reaching for her, grabbing her hips and guiding her on top of him. And it's good, but it's rushed, too, like teenagers afraid their parents could show up any minute. She would like to think she's too old for such things, but apparently she's not.

When it's over, she curls into him, resting her head on his chest. He brings his hand briefly to her head, caressing her hair once, twice, before dropping it to the bed next to her.

"Thalassa," he says quietly. "We should get dressed before the kids get home."

  


* * *

  


 **June 21st, 2027 8:23am  
The Wright-Gramarye Household**

The next morning, they move around each other, making sure they're never in a room alone together, that they always have something to say to someone else. Phoenix lingers around the apartment--surely running late for work at this point--until they're the only ones in the house. He's wearing a charcoal gray suit and a magenta tie, his hair slicked back in the way he's adopted since working in law again. It looks hard, like you could cut yourself on it.

"About last night," he starts, rotating his coffee cup around and around in his hands.

"Yes?" she replies, keeping her voice subdued.

"That shouldn't happen again, probably." He brings one hand up to the back of his neck, sheepish. "And I don't think we should tell the kids."

"I agree," she says immediately.

He looks at her with concern. "So, we're okay."

"Of course." She makes herself look at him. "We're adults, right? It's not a big deal."

"Okay," he says, his relief evident. "If we weren't okay, you could tell me, you know."

"I know," she say quietly, giving him a small smile.

He gives her a quick kiss on the cheek--meant to be reassuring, she's sure--before hurrying out the door. It occurs to her, not for the first time, that she has no idea what he's really thinking.

  


* * *

  


 **August 9th, 2027 7:19pm  
The Wright-Gramarye Household**

Thalassa joins Phoenix at the sink, drying the dishes as he washes them. The rest of the household slowly drifts away from the dinner table, moving on to other evening activities. After a few minutes, Thalassa interrupts their companionable silence to say, "I need to talk to you tonight, after the children are asleep." She says it quietly, so as not to be heard over the sound of the faucet.

"Okay," Phoenix says evenly, betraying nothing.

Apollo has not been a child for some time, something that Phoenix is well aware of but Thalassa seems to have a hard time accepting. Still, Phoenix never challenges her when she refers to Apollo as one of "the children", or when she tries to baby the young man. Apollo has never said anything about it, either. Phoenix suspects he has some complicated feelings on the matter, but they're not terribly close, more like colleagues than family even now, so they've never spoken of it.

As a grown man, Apollo stays up well after Trucy and Machi, working diligently at the kitchen table until almost 1am. It's after Thalassa's usual bedtime as well, and Apollo notices.

"You're up late," he comments, leaning down to kiss the sitting woman's forehead.

She shrugs, eyes on the knitting project in her hands. "I'm not too old to stay up with the kids every now and then."

Apollo shrugs. Thalassa stops her rapid knitting to take one of Apollo's hands in both of hers, placing a soft kiss on the back of it. "Good night, Apollo."

Phoenix watches the scene from the other end of the couch. Apollo tilts his head in Phoenix's direction as he walks to his bedroom, and Phoenix gives him a nod in return. The living room is silent in his absence. Phoenix says nothing, unwilling to start whatever conversation it is that Thalassa wants to have with him.

"I'm not quite sure how to say this," she says, looking at her hands. "So I guess I'll just get right to the point."

She stops, looking up at Phoenix. He still says nothing. Frowning, she continues, "I'm pregnant."

"Okay," Phoenix says tentatively, afraid of where this is going.

Thalassa waits for him to say something more. He doesn't. She says, "It's yours, Phoenix."

His first instinct is to ask her if she's sure, but fortunately he bites his tongue. At length he says, "I thought you were on birth control," which is maybe not that much better.

"No, I'm not. Why would you think that?"

"I've seen you come home from the pharmacy with birth control," he says, his brow scrunching up in confusion.

"It's Trucy's."

"You pick up Trucy's birth control for her?" he asks, looking even more confused.

"Yes."

"Huh."

"Is there a problem?" she asks, feeling suddenly defensive.

"No, I just didn't realize. I thought she took care of that herself."

"One day I asked if she'd like me to pick up her prescription while I was out running errands, and she said yes. And so now I pick that up for her."

"Oh." He shakes his head to clear it. "Why didn't you say something?"

Thalassa frowns. Why didn't she? She counters, "Why didn't you? You just assumed I had it under control?"

"Sorry," he says sheepishly. "You're right. Of course, you're absolutely right."

An uncomfortable silence befalls them. Phoenix asks, "What do you want to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you want to keep it?" he asks, frowning.

"You think we should--?"

"I think this is your decision to make," he says, cutting her off, "and I will unconditionally support you in whatever you decide, but I think we need to give fair consideration to all options."

"Okay," she says, trying to sound agreeable.

Phoenix frowns, staring off into space. Thalassa frowns as well, staring at his profile. Eventually he says, "Can we talk about this more tomorrow? I need some time to think."

"Okay," she says again, forcing herself to smile.

  


* * *

  


 **August 10th, 2027 2:08pm  
Groundwork Coffee Co. **

Thalassa meets Phoenix for lunch near the District Attorney's office. She wonders briefly what sort of work he was doing there, but ultimately there are more important things on her mind.

"Okay," Phoenix says, all business after they order their food. "I was up half the night thinking about this, and before you say anything, I want to tell you some of my concerns. I don't want you to interpret that as me trying to persuade you into a particular course of action; these are just things we're going to have to address, and I want to make sure you're thinking about them, too."

"Okay," Thalassa says hesitantly, worrying her napkin between her fingers.

"I'm worried about how we can afford another mouth to feed. I'm worried about how Trucy and Machi are going to react." He looks at Thalassa, trying to read her. He realizes he has no idea what she's thinking. He says, "And I'm worried about the commitment of raising another child."

When he doesn't continue, she realizes he's waiting for her response. She doesn't know what to say, where to start.

"Money is not especially tight these days," she begins slowly. "You and Apollo are both working consistently, and Machi and I are still receiving significant royalties. On top of that, we've written two new songs over the last three months, so I have been thinking of resuming my career."

Phoenix says nothing. She continues, "I have already considered Machi's feelings on the matter, and I agree that we may need to address the issue with sensitivity, but I don't think this will be as big of a shock to him as the appearance of Trucy and Apollo in our lives, and he's been adjusting to that well enough. I think he'll be fine."

She pauses, considering her next words carefully. "What, specifically, is your concern regarding Trucy?"

Phoenix takes a sip of his coffee, buying time, then says quietly, "Trucy has been hoping you and I would get together since the day she found out you're her mother. Before she found out, even."

"And?" Thalassa asks, her voice sounding like a stranger's to her own ears.

"And we're not together, Thalassa," Phoenix says bluntly. "I think finding out that we slept together, are having a child together, but still have no intention of having a romantic relationship will be confusing and upsetting to her."

"She's not a child," she says, because it's the easiest thing to say.

"No, she's not. And even when she was, she was a lot more mature than most adults I know. Regardless, this is going to be upsetting to her."

Thalassa nods. Had she been aware that Trucy wanted her parents to be together?

"And your third point," she prompts, unable to address this herself.

"I like you a lot, Thalassa," Phoenix says carefully. "And I care about you, and I love you as my daughter's mother. But I'm not--" He stops, unsure of how to put this. "I'm not able to offer you anything more than that."

Thalassa nods. Although difficult to hear, this is not news to her. Phoenix adds, trying for levity, "And do you want to spend another 18 years under the same roof with a slob like me?"

"We live together now because it's convenient," she says, struggling to keep her voice steady. "When it is no longer convenient, we can stop living together."

"You don't think it will be convenient to live together with our child?"

"I think we're two mature, well-intentioned people who share a good deal of mutual respect. I think we could work out any necessary arrangement."

Phoenix nods, frowning. "You really want to keep the baby."

It's not a question, but she answers anyway.

"Yes," she says quietly, looking down into her tea. She waits a beat, and when he doesn't respond, she looks up at him and says, "And you don't."

"I'm not sure what I want," he admits. After a pause he says, "I think I should tell you something."

A flash of panic turns her stomach. Calmly, she asks, "What?"

"When I slept with you, I was cheating on someone else."

Now she feels a flare of anger, but she keeps her cool. She asks, "Who?"

"That's not important," he says quickly. "But I haven't told him about what happened between us."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I hadn't planned on telling him," Phoenix says cryptically. She fills in the gaps herself.

"So rather than embrace the news of your future child," she says hotly, "you would rather put an end to the inconvenience and keep your secret safe."

Phoenix hangs his head. Hearing those words--and such anger--from Thalassa is like a physical blow. He says, quietly, "That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" she counters. "Please, convince me that's not what you meant."

"I'm afraid of the fallout of this baby," Phoenix says honestly. "And I don't just mean with my... with this man. I mean with Trucy, and Machi. With you and me."

"I can't speak for your gentleman friend," she says coolly, "but our family loves us, and whatever bumps in the road we may face, we will all get through it together. And you and I are family, Phoenix, whatever reservations you may have about that."

A look of shame passes briefly across Phoenix's face. She's glad to see it.

"Of course we're family, Thalassa."

"I'm having this baby," she says.

"Okay," Phoenix says immediately. He reaches across the table for her hand, and she lets him take it. "I'm in this with you, okay?"

She nods, just as the waiter returns with their food.

  


* * *

  


 **August 13th, 2027 6:35pm  
The Wright-Gramarye Household**

Phoenix places the basket of dinner rolls on the table and sits down. He looks over at Thalassa, who is pushing her peas around her plate. She looks up at him and smiles. It's a nervous smile, but it makes it to her eyes.

"Okay, so," he says, looking around the table. Trucy and Apollo are arguing playfully about something that Phoenix definitely doesn't understand, and Machi is fully engrossed in a book. Phoenix clears his throat loudly, and all three of them look up, giving him their complete attention. "Thalassa and I have something we'd like to tell the three of you."

Trucy's eyes go wide. "Are you guys getting married?"

"They're not getting married," Apollo says dismissively. Then, looking at the two of them uncertainly, he asks, "Are you?"

"Um, no," Phoenix says.

"Are we getting a puppy?"

"Also a no." He turns to Thalassa. "Do you want to tell them?"

"Sure," she says brightly. She briefly looks each of her children in the eyes and then says, "Phoenix and I are having a baby. I'm pregnant."

Trucy's squeal of delight is at a frequency only dogs can hear. Apollo looks mildly confused. Phoenix can't tell what Machi's thinking, hiding behind his dark round glasses.

"I thought you said you weren't getting married," Apollo says.

"We're not," Phoenix replies quickly. "One does not necessarily imply the other."

"Wait," Trucy says, coming back down to Earth. "Why aren't you?"

Phoenix glances over to Thalassa. They'd strategized this conversation well beforehand, but Phoenix still feels like he's flailing. To his great relief, Thalassa continues to pick up his slack: "Phoenix and I care about each other very much, and we love all of you very much. We're friends and partners, but we're not in love."

Phoenix watches Trucy closely. A look of crushing disappoint marks her face for the briefest of moments, but Phoenix doesn't miss it. She asks brightly, "Am I getting a brother or a sister? I hope it's a sister!" Turning to Apollo and Machi, she adds, "No offense, guys."

The rest of dinner passes with Trucy asking a million questions about the baby. Even if it's not entirely earnest, her enthusiasm is catching. Phoenix feels genuinely, unconditionally happy about the whole thing for the first time since Thalassa broke the news.

Still, he knows he's going to have to sit down with Trucy at some point and talk about this further, just the two of them.

"What are you doing, Miss?" Apollo asks, taking the plates out of Thalassa's hands as she begins to straighten up the table. "No housework for the Mommy-To-Be."

Thalassa smiles and presses a kiss to his forehead. "Shall we place bets on how long that lasts?"

When they are alone in the kitchen, Apollo turns on the faucet and hisses at Phoenix, "You slept with Thalassa?"

"No one ever said that," Phoenix says mildly. He starts washing the dishes, since the water is already on. "Maybe we used fertility services."

"Without discussing it with the rest of us?"

"We're adults, Apollo. We don't need the permission of our children."

Apollo wants to point out that he is not Phoenix's son, but he lets it lie. Instead he says, "The choices you make effect everyone in this house. You can't just go around sleeping with my mother."

"Why not?"

"Can you drop this too-cool-for-school act for just five minutes and have an actual conversation with me?" Apollo demands, frustrated.

Phoenix puts the dirty glass he's cleaning in the sink, leaving the water running. He turns to face Apollo. "Thalassa and I made a mistake. It only happened once, and it won't be happening again; we agreed on that well before she discovered she was pregnant. I am well aware of how my actions impact the rest of you, and I would never purposely do anything to hurt any of you. But I'm only human, as fallible as anyone else. And frankly, I refuse to apologize for the baby."

"I'm not asking you to apologize. I'm telling you not to screw around with Thalassa's emotions. I'm not sure if it's that you're oblivious or disgustingly callous, but she's in love with you."

"She's not in love with me," Phoenix says carefully. "She'd like to be, maybe, because it would be convenient, but she's not."

"You think you know her heart better than she does?"

"Of course I don't," Phoenix snaps, starting to feel angry. "You think we haven't talked about this? We were very careful to set clear boundaries for each other."

" _You_ set boundaries," Apollo accuses. "And she will abide them because she doesn't want you to leave us."

"Now who's presuming he knows better than Thalassa?"

Apollo exhales deeply, calming himself. "I like you, Phoenix, even though I also think you're sort of a prick. But I don't want to see Thalassa get hurt."

"Neither do I," Phoenix says evenly. "But I also trust her to make her own decisions, and to be strong enough to cope with mine."

He stalks out of the kitchen, leaving Apollo to finish up the dishes alone.

  


* * *

  


 **August 14th, 2027 12:12am  
The Wright-Gramarye Household**

It's a little after midnight, and Thalassa and Phoenix are sitting on the couch watching _The Tonight Show_ together. The rest of the house is quiet.

"Apollo said something to me earlier that really bothered me," Phoenix says during a commercial break.

Thalassa turns to face him, looking worried. "Oh?"

"He accused me of presuming to know what you want better than do you. Do I do that?"

Thalassa shrugs. "I have no idea what goes on in that brain of yours, frankly, so I couldn't really say."

"He said you were in love with me," he offers. When she doesn't respond, he says, "I told him I didn't think that was the case."

"When we first moved in together like this, the five of us, I had some fantasies that we'd turn into a Christmas card family. I imagined you and I together, as the head of the family, with our wonderful children in tow."

"We are that family, Thalassa," Phoenix says quietly.

"I imagined," she continues, "that you and I might fall in love. But we didn't."

"Thalassa," he breathes, barely above a whisper.

"Phoenix, it's fine," she says frankly. "I just wish... I don't know. I just wish I knew you better. We've been living together for nearly a year and I feel as though we're no closer than when we first met."

He has nothing to say to that, because it's true, and he knows--as she does-- that it's not her fault.

"You're my daughter's father," she continues. "And now you're literally the father of my child. And I just worry that we're still going to lead parallel lives, saying hello to each other over breakfast but never really connecting."

She exhales, feeling as though the wind's been knocked out of her. Her skin tingles, waiting for Phoenix's reply.

"It's been a hard year," he says. "It's been a hard decade, really."

"I know," she says kindly. "But you can trust me."

She holds out her open hand, and he takes it, gripping her fingers tightly.


	2. Chapter 2

**August 14th, 2027 5:37pm  
Tres Bien**

"This is sort of awful, Daddy," Trucy says, pushing her fork around her plate.

"Yeah," Phoenix agrees. "I had assumed from the fact that they're still in business that the food must have gotten better. Obviously I was mistaken."

Trucy takes another bite of her quiche, making a face as she chews. Phoenix smiles wistfully, then says, "I wanted to talk to you about Thalassa."

Trucy's eyes brighten. "Isn't she going to be such a cute pregnant lady? I can't wait until her belly gets all round and we can feel the baby kicking!"

"Trucy," Phoenix says evenly, and his daughter puts her fork down, recognizing his tone of voice. "I know you were hoping Thalassa and I would end up getting together--trying to orchestrate it, even."

"I don't know what you're talking about, sir."

Phoenix laughs, shaking his head. "Inviting us both to lunch and then not showing up? Changing my phone's speed dial so that each entry was set to Thalassa's number? Renting romantic comedies, putting them in the DVD player, and then disappearing into your room? Not exactly what I would call subtle, dear."

She shrugs, lifting another bite of quiche to her mouth. Yeah, still terrible.

"I think you probably realize Thalassa didn't get pregnant via in-vitro fertilization or anything."

Trucy looks at her father seriously. "I realize that, yes. But I definitely don't want to know what happened, either."

Phoenix frowns. "And I don't want to get into the details, honestly. But I wanted to make sure you know that I do love Thalassa--very much--just not romantically. And she feels the same way. We made a mistake, one--"

"I said I don't want to know what happened," Trucy interrupts. She points at herself with her fork. "Serious over here."

"Truce..."

"Do I wish you two would fall in love and get married and have lots and lots of babies?" she asks. "I mean, yeah, obviously. But hey, you're having one baby at least, so that's something. I just don't particularly want to know how that came to happen."

At Phoenix's frown, she says, "Daddy, seriously, I'm all smiles over here," and smiles broadly to illustrate her point. "I just don't want to think about Mom and Dad getting it on. No offense, but that's sort of gross, you know?"

"Wait," Phoenix says, indignant. "That's why you don't want to hear about it?"

"Yeah, of course. What did you think?" She takes a final bite of her quiche. "Can we go to the noodle stand and get some real food? This tastes like dish water."

  


* * *

  


 **  
_October 9th, 2026 2:20pm  
Defendant Lobby No. 6_   
**

"Congratulations, Wright."

Phoenix looks up toward the familiar voice, not quite believing his ears. "Edgeworth?"

"You didn't think I'd miss the first trial of the Jurist System, did you?"

"No, I suppose not," Phoenix says, and he lets himself smile, just a little. The two stand just looking at each other, leaving much unspoken, until Trucy interrupts the moment.

"Hi!" she says brightly, thrusting her hand out to Edgeworth, who shakes it politely. "I'm Trucy Wright."

"Miles Edgeworth. Nice to finally meet you."

Trucy shoots Phoenix a questioning look, and he explains, "Mr. Edgeworth and I are old friends, and he's been helping me establish the Jurist System."

"I see," she says, still looking a bit suspicious. "So you were in on Daddy's secret mission."

"Not all of it," Edgeworth says, throwing a pointed look at the other man, which Phoenix ignores. "But I very much wanted to see the Jurist System put in place."

"Speaking of," Phoenix says, clapping his hand on the prosecutor's shoulder. "I'd like you to meet Apollo Justice."

Edgeworth turns to regard the young man who was so integral in making all of this happen. He shakes Apollo's hand warmly, saying, "Congratulations, Mr. Justice. It's a pleasure to meet you."

There are some more introductions and pleasantries, then Phoenix says, "Lamiroir, do you think you could watch after Trucy this evening? I'd like to catch up with Mr. Edgeworth."

"Sure, Mr. Wright," she says sweetly. "I'd be delighted."

She tries to share a knowing look with him, but he's looking over her shoulder, at Edgeworth.

  


* * *

  


 **  
_October 9th, 2026 4:38pm  
Miles Edgeworth's Hotel Room_   
**

"Wright," Edgeworth breathes, slowing his thrusts, "Shut up. The entire floor can hear you."

Before Phoenix can reply, Edgeworth presses a hand over his mouth, picking up his pace and rocking hard into Phoenix. Phoenix makes a low, rumbling sound in the back of his throat, his eyes screwing shut, and licks Edgeworth's palm, eliciting a quiet moan from the other man. He scrapes his teeth against that palm, and Edgeworth's movements become more erratic.

Edgeworth slams into him twice more before reaching his climax, silent as always. After, he stays inside of Phoenix while he reaches between the man's legs, lacing their fingers together and finishing him off quickly.

"I need a shower," Edgeworth says, rolling off of Phoenix and onto his back. He pulls off his condom and tosses it into the bedside trash can, then makes his way to the bathroom.

Phoenix could use a shower, too. Edgeworth leaves the bathroom door open, but Phoenix can't tell whether or not that's an invitation. He makes do with the box of tissues on the night stand, and he's back in his clothes by the time Edgeworth is out of the shower.

  


* * *

  


 **August 17th, 2027 11:26pm  
Phoenix Wright's Bedroom **

"Hello, Phoenix," Edgeworth answers. Since his visit in October, Edgeworth has resumed addressing Phoenix by his first name, and as the months have passed, the tone and tenor of Edgeworth's voice when he says it has become more intimate--often lascivious--as though it's a lover's pet name.

"Edgeworth," Phoenix replies shortly, and the man can immediately tell that something is amiss. He tries not to go on the defensive prematurely.

"What's wrong?"

Phoenix laughs, but it's a hollow sound. "You're not going to like this."

"What's happened?"

"Thalassa is pregnant."

"Why wouldn't I like that?" Edgeworth asks cautiously, feeling dread pool in his stomach.

Very quietly--almost inaudibly--Phoenix says, "The baby is mine."

"Excuse me?"

"She wants to keep it."

"You slept with Thalassa?" Edgeworth asks, the tenuous hold he has on his temper already slipping.

"I did, and it was a mistake. I thought you should know."

"You thought I should know," Edgeworth spits, "because there would be no way to hide a child."

"Listen," Phoenix snaps back, "I didn't have to tell you, and I don't have to explain myself to you. I don't owe you anything."

There's a silence on the other end of the line, the words hanging heavy between them, suffocating. Eventually Edgeworth says, "I see."

Pride keeps Phoenix from apologizing. He says, "That night--the night with Thalassa, I mean--was the night I asked you when you were coming back to California. You said you didn't know. And then I asked you _if_ you were coming back to California, and you said--"

"--I said I didn't know," Edgeworth interrupts flatly.

"Right," Phoenix says, uncomfortable. "And I thought, what's the point of this if we're already running into the same fucking problems?"

And then silence, each of them afraid to say anything that might affirm the truth of that. Eventually, his voice laced with bitterness, Edgeworth asks, "And when were you planning on bringing this up, had the baby not forced your hand?"

"I've been trying," Phoenix says, exasperated, "and you keep dismissing it, like if we ignore it for long enough Germany and California are just going to magically start sharing a border."

Edgeworth doesn't say anything, ashamed of the truth in Phoenix's words. Phoenix says, "I'm sorry about Thalassa; it shouldn't have happened. I wish it hadn't happened. And I know that it's quite possible that my actions have made it much easier for you to answer this question, or maybe they've made it impossible, but I need to know: Are you coming home or not?"

"You want me to decide, right now, if I'm willing to move across the globe to be with you, right after you tell me that you've slept with and impregnated the mother of your adopted daughter?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Well, I can't do that, and it's incredibly unfair of you to even ask."

"I know," Phoenix says. After a moment, he asks, "Do you want to end this?"

"Do you?"

"No," he says, quietly but immediately. "But I wonder if maybe we should."

Edgeworth laughs bitterly; it's a sharp, painful sound. "We're never going to get this right, are we?"

"It would help if we were in the same country, maybe," Phoenix says, because he can't help himself.

Edgeworth doesn't take the bait. He says, "I have to think about it."

"Okay." He pauses, then adds, "And I'm sorry, Miles. I treated both of you badly."

Edgeworth can't bring himself to say it's okay.

  


* * *

  


 **August 26th, 2027 3:47pm  
The Wright Anything Agency**

He manages to refrain from calling Edgeworth for three days. On the sixth day he starts leaving messages, all of which go unreturned. He tries not to think about it, instead beginning the painful process of apartment hunting with Thalassa and even picking up a shift at the Borsch Bowl Club, a place he hasn't set foot in for months.

So to say he's surprised to find Miles Edgeworth waiting for him at his office would be a bit of an understatement.

"Your charming daughter let me in," Edgeworth explains at Phoenix's questioning look. "My timing was fortuitous; she and Mr. Justice were on their way out."

"What are you doing here?" Phoenix asks, suspicious.

"I think this place is somehow even messier than the last time I was here. How is that possible?"

"Miles," Phoenix says, an unexpected quiver in his voice. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to see you," Edgeworth says with a shrug, picking up one of Trucy's trick brass rings and turning it over in his hands.

Phoenix hovers near his cluttered desk uncertainly, waiting for Edgeworth to say something more, to give him some indication of where they stand.

"Is this a good visit or a bad visit?" Phoenix asks at last, when it becomes clear that Edgeworth has no intention of making this easy.

"I don't know yet," he says honestly. "But we could start by trying a proper hello."

Phoenix drops his briefcase to the floor and exhales deeply, unaware that he'd been holding his breath. He crosses the space between them in five quick steps, then stands stiffly in front of Edgeworth until the other man sighs in mild irritation and brings his arms up around him, pulling him in close. Phoenix wraps his arms around Edgeworth's waist, burying his face in the man's neck. He smells like citrus and the stale sent of airplane. It's a familiar combination.

"I missed you," Phoenix admits, tightening his grip on Edgeworth's waist.

Edgeworth brings a hand to the back of Phoenix's neck, rubbing his thumb along the edge of Phoenix's hairline. He can't remember the last time he's seen Phoenix's hair so short. Very quietly, Edgeworth says, "I missed you, too."

  


* * *

  


 **August 26th, 2027 6:12pm  
The Little Door**

They spend the first half of their meal making awkward conversation, trying unsuccessfully to behave as though everything is fine. It's driving Phoenix crazy.

He says, "You didn't come all this way to make small talk with me."

Edgeworth frowns. He takes a sip of his wine and then says, "Actually, I did."

"You're insane," Phoenix says flatly, then takes an angry bite of his steak. Edgeworth takes another sip of his drink, giving Phoenix a withering look over the top of his glass. "You think all we need is to talk about the weather, maybe commiserate over the Clippers?"

"If either of us is entitled to be combative, I should think it would be me," Edgeworth says mildly.

"Then please," Phoenix says, a note of desperation in his voice, "tell me what you're thinking."

"I'm thinking I would like to have a nice, quiet meal with my boyfriend, who I haven't seen in months."

Phoenix can feel his cheeks reddening in anger. He tries to remain calm, quietly pointing out, "But that isn't very realistic, given the circumstances, now is it?"

"If the circumstances are that you're being extremely unpleasant, then no, I suppose it's not."

"And since when am I your boyfriend?" Phoenix asks, egged on by Edgeworth's flippancy. "We fucked nine months ago, and then once more after that, and sometimes we talk on the phone. That means we're dating?"

"If we're not, then what am I doing here?"

"I don't know, what are you doing here?"

Edgeworth leans in, his voice dangerously quiet. "Do you have any idea how difficult it can be to care about you?"

"Then don't bother," Phoenix hisses, leaning away.

They finish their meal in an icy silence. Outside, the valet has Edgeworth's car parked at the curb. Phoenix stalks by it, ready to walk the ten blocks to the bus stop.

"Phoenix," Edgeworth calls, and Phoenix stops, glaring at him. "Get in the goddamn car."

Once they're on the highway, Edgeworth asks, "What the hell is wrong with you?" Phoenix says nothing, staring out the window. Edgeworth adds, "I am so sick of your constant self-flagellation."

"So sorry to offend," Phoenix mutters, wishing he had a cigarette.

"What are you trying to prove, exactly? That you're an impossible jackass? That you don't deserve my time and effort?" Edgeworth pauses, stealing a look at Phoenix's profile out of the corner of his eye before looking back at the road. "Or is it that you don't think I'm worth the effort?"

"You live in Germany; you might as well not exist."

Edgeworth pulls over on the shoulder, and Phoenix feels a sudden panic sweep over him. Miles wouldn't actually leave him on the side of the road, would he?

Edgeworth sighs, running an anxious hand through his hair. Phoenix stubbornly refuses to look at him, so he talks to the man's profile. "You need to stop this. If you want to talk about it, let's talk about it, but please, no more belligerence."

Phoenix continues to stare out the window, watching the streaming taillights of the passing cars. He says, "These are the same arguments we were having three years ago, and three years before that, and so on and so forth since the beginning of time. I'm tired of this on-again-off-again bullshit with you, and I'm tired of fighting about the same fucking things over and over again. If you're not coming back to California--and I mean for good: not a month, not for six months, but for good, for real--then I can't keep doing this. And I know that's not fair, and I swear to God I would come to Germany if I could, but I can't. You know I can't."

"There's nothing keeping me in Germany," Edgeworth says at length. "There hasn't been for quite a while."

Phoenix whips his head around to stare at Edgeworth, an angry burn at the back of his eyes. "What the fuck, Miles?"

"You have a daughter," Edgeworth says carefully. "And Maya and Pearl. And now there's Apollo, and Thalassa and Machi. Who am I to wedge myself into the life you've made for yourself, and who am I to, by extension, insinuate myself into the lives of so many others?"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Phoenix asks, incredulous. "So you're saying, basically, that you've dismissed my frequent, desperate pleas for you to come back because you don't think there's room for you in my life?"

Edgeworth says nothing, gripping the steering wheel tightly. Which is fine, because Phoenix has plenty more to say about this:

"How is it that someone as smart and successful as you are is also so incredibly stupid? Do you even hear what's coming out of your mouth right now? What do you think I'm really saying when I tell you how much I miss you, how much I want you to come home? You can't be an imposition where you're wanted, you asshole. Or do you just think I'm so stupid that I don't know what I'm asking? I want you around, jackass. I want you around even knowing what a prick you are, and how emotionally unavailable you can be, and how difficult it is to get you to remove the stick from your ass and have a good time. I want you around, okay? I'm not just saying this shit to mess with your head. I fucking mean it."

"I'm glad you can always be counted on for such compassion and understanding," Edgeworth says, and it sounds flat even to his own ears.

"If you want compassion, stop being such an goddamn idiot," Phoenix snaps. "We've been wasting years of our lives on different continents because you have fucking self-esteem issues. Un-fucking-believable."

Phoenix shakes his head, disgusted. "I'm certainly not the only one in this car who is damn near impossible to love."

"But do you?"

"Do I what? Love you?" He pauses, regarding Edgeworth's profile. "If I don't, then I have no right to be this fucking angry with you."

"Then why did you sleep with Thalassa?" Edgeworth asks quietly.

"Partly because she was kind to me when I was desperately in need of some kindness. But mostly because I was mad at you, and I wanted to hurt you."

"Well," Edgworth says, pulling back out onto the highway, "it worked."


	3. Chapter 3

**August 27th, 2027 8am  
The Wright-Gramarye Household**

It is not very often that the Wrights (and Gramaryes) receive house calls at 8 o'clock in the morning. Thus, Phoenix knows exactly who is on the other side of the door before actually opening it, and so he makes sure that he is the one to answer. Wearing an unbuttoned dress shirt and a pair of boxers, he steps out into the hallway, closing the door behind him.

"What are you doing here?" Phoenix whispers.

"Good morning," Edgeworth says at a normal volume. "I'm headed to the police department this morning, so I thought I'd give you a ride into work."

Phoenix gives Edgeworth a scrutinizing look, then says, "Okay. I need 10 minutes. Can I meet you downstairs?"

Edgeworth narrows his eyes, but he says, "Okay."

He's about turn for the stairs when Phoenix grabs his arm, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. "This was sweet of you."

"Yes," Edgeworth says coolly. "Thank you for noticing."

Phoenix actually keeps Edgeworth waiting for 15 minutes. When he slides into the passenger seat of Edgeworth's car, he's already talking.

"So, figuring that it's a safe assumption that you're meeting up with the Chief of Police today, I grabbed you a copy of Justice Thorn's article in the Times. He seems like he's waiting for someone to tell him what his position is on all this, so maybe he'll let that someone be Thorn. Also, he likes the Lakers."

"I'm not taking him to a basketball game," Edgeworth says immediately.

"Fine, I'll take him."

"On my dollar, I assume?"

"Obviously."

"And you're meeting with Justice Civion this afternoon?"

"Yeah, we've got lunch at 2pm."

"May I join you?" he asks, stealing a sidelong glance at Phoenix.

Phoenix worries his lower lip, considering, then slowly starts nodding, "Yeah, that would be good. Can I tell her you flew all the way out here just to meet with her?"

"If you don't, I will."

  


* * *

  


 **August 27th, 2027 2:13pm  
Osteria Mozza **

"I must say, Miles, it's a pleasure to see you."

Edgeworth smiles winningly. Phoenix is impressed by his growing ability to schmooze. "When Phoenix told me he was meeting with you, I knew I had to be here as well."

"You flatter me, Miles," Justice Civion says with a smile of her own.

Phoenix interrupts their little lovefest, saying, "If you would be so kind as to humor me, your Honor, I'd like to review why we've asked you to meet with us today.

"We haven't even ordered yet, Phoenix," Edgeworth chides.

Phoenix smiles sheepishly. "And I hate to get straight to business, but I think we're going to have quite a bit to talk about over the next hour; I'd like to make sure we get to everything."

Edgeworth nods, and Justice Civion says, "Of course. I completely agree."

"As you know," Phoenix begins, focusing his full attention on the judge, "the Jurist System in its current incarnation relies completely on volunteers to fill the ranks of the jury. And frankly, we're running out of fresh volunteers. We're seeing people who are on their fifth, sixth, even seventh case, and that's not the kind of system we're looking to build here. We're not looking to create career jurists, for a number of reasons."

Justice Civion nods. "Have you thought of offering incentives, building up the jurist pool?"

"All due respect, your Honor, but with what money?" Edgeworth asks, gesturing widely. "This project has been woefully underfunded from the start, and that it was able to succeed at all without the full support of the state is a testament to how hard this man works and how deeply he believes in this system."

Phoenix blushes at the unexpected compliment. Justice Civion nods, then turns her attention to her menu. Phoenix shoots a look to Edgeworth, who nods, so Phoenix continues, "Even if we had the means to provide incentives, we're not going to see the kind of numbers we need, and we'd be running the same risk with the career jurists. When we last saw juries in this country, we had mandatory jury duty policies in place that, on the whole, worked quite well."

Justice Civion folds her menu and rests it neatly on the table. "I see where you're coming from, and I think it's a good idea, but I just don't think it should be handled with legislature. We need to put it on the ballot, let the people decide."

Seeing the waiter headed their way, Edgeworth says, "All we ask, your Honor, is that, for the next hour or so, you give us the opportunity to change your mind about that particular point."

  


* * *

  


 **August 27th, 2027 3:35pm  
Miles Edgeworth's Car **

"That went really well, I think," Phoenix says as he slides into the passenger seat. "I think even if we didn't fully convince her of the need for legislation, she's at least not completely against it now."

Edgeworth nods. "Let's just hope she actually speaks with Senator McKline about the issue. That man is stubborn as an ox."

Phoenix steals a sidelong glance at Edgeworth, hesitating. He says, "I'm glad you came."

"I figure that as long as I'm in town, I might as well be useful. Also, it got me out of lunch with Gumshoe."

"He misses you," Phoenix says, a hint of accusation in his voice.

"And I him. But while it was nice to see him, I cannot and will not subject myself to his uninterrupted prattle for the length of a meal."

"Did he show you pictures of the baby?" Phoenix asks, ignoring Edgeworth's surliness.

Edgeworth smiles faintly. "Yes. Heaven help that poor child, surrounded by galoots."

Phoenix snickers. "I can't believe you just earnestly used the word 'galoots.' It's like I'm dating my grandfather."

Phoenix realizes the moment he says it that he's just given Edgeworth an opportunity to twist the knife. But Edgeworth, ever classy, says instead, "I was thinking it might be nice if we could all go out to dinner tonight. With your family, I mean."

Phoenix is so stunned that Edgeworth would suggest such a thing that he doesn't respond right away, openly staring at Edgeworth in surprise until he realizes the other man is expecting a reply.

"Uh, yeah, that would be nice. But I don't know if that's a good idea right now."

Edgeworth frowns. "And why is that?"

Phoenix shifts uncomfortably in his seat; he is loathe to admit this next part. Reluctantly, he says, "See, the thing is, is that Trucy doesn't know I'm seeing anyone."

"I see," Edgeworth says evenly.

"And I just think it would be better if I had a chance to tell her privately before I start bringing my boyfriend around."

"I see," Edgeworth says again.

"You and I have a spotty history," Phoenix says, addressing Edgeworth's unasked question. "If I'm going to bring someone I'm dating into Trucy's life, it's going to be someone with whom I'm in a stable, long-term relationship. You know as well as I do that we don't exactly fit that criteria."

"So then why would you tell her now? To make amends?"

Phoenix shrugs. "I want you to come home."

Edgeworth pulls over. He hates having these conversations while driving, when he can't watch and read Phoenix's face. He turns his hazards on and then turns to look at Phoenix. He says, "This is about much more than whether or not your daughter knows we're together."

"I know."

"You slept with someone else, Phoenix. Purposefully. Spitefully."

"I know."

"I know there is much about our relationship that you find less than ideal, and I think that's understandable. But the way you deal with that is to talk to me about it, or fight with me about it, or break up with me over it. The way to deal with it is not to go sleep with other people behind my back."

"I know."

"Let me ask you something," Edgeworth says, although he suspects he already knows the answer. "Does Thalassa know about us?"

"She didn't when we..." he trails off, waving his hand vaguely. "I've since told her that I'm with someone, and that we've been together for a while, since before that night. I didn't name you specifically."

Edgeworth shakes his head, letting out a bitter laugh. "And what did she say?"

"I'd rather not say," Phoenix says quietly, feeling hot with shame.

"I don't think you are entitled to that luxury; do you?"

Phoenix looks down into his lap, unable to meet Edgeworth's eyes. He says in a rush, "She accused me of suggesting that she get an abortion so that you wouldn't find out that I'd cheated on you."

"And what did you say?"

"I told her I was afraid of the repercussions of us having a baby together, and that was just one of them, low on my list of concerns."

"Do you feel as if that were the truth?"

Phoenix takes a deep breath, gathering his nerve. He says, "I didn't want you to find out. I regretted it as soon as it happened, and I knew how much it would hurt you, so I didn't want you to know." He looks to Edgeworth for a reaction, but the man says nothing, staring at the road ahead. Phoenix continues, "But more than that, even, I was scared of what Thalassa might expect from me, as the baby's father. I care about her, but I can't... My relationship with Trucy is separate from her relationship with Thalassa; I like Thalassa, and I care about her, but I don't owe her anything. But this baby--our baby--links us together forever. And it's terrifying, the idea of sharing this kind of commitment and responsibility with someone I'm not in love with."

Edgeworth nods, pulling back out onto the road. Phoenix has no idea what he's thinking. They say nothing more until they're parked outside Phoenix's apartment building, where Edgeworth asks, "If Thalassa is home, could you please ask her to come out and speak with me for a few minutes?"

"About what?" Phoenix asks, alarmed.

"That's none of your business."

"Well I'm not sending her out here to feed her to the lions," Phoenix says, and moves to exit the car. Edgeworth grabs his arm, halting him.

"Objectively, I know that what happened is in no way her fault. However, I'm having a hard time internalizing that as being true. I think it would be helpful if we could talk for a few minutes. Alone."

Phoenix scrutinizes him, searching his face for signs of a lie. Finding none, he says, "Fine. I'll ask her to come talk to you, but I'm not going to order her around."

"Fair enough."

  


* * *

  


 **August 27th, 2027 4:37pm  
The Wright-Gramarye Household **

When Thalassa returns, Phoenix jumps up to meet her, rushing to her before she's even through the door. Standing next to her, he can see her eyes are rimmed with red, as though she's been crying.

"Thaslassa," Phoenix starts, grabbing her hand. "I'm so sorry, I should have--"

"Phoenix," she cuts him off. "It's fine. It's good, even. He's a very kind man."

Phoenix regards her suspiciously. Noting the curious look Apollo is sending their way, he leads her to his bedroom where they can talk privately. It's only the second time Thalassa has ever been in his room, and she stands by the door awkwardly as Phoenix parks on the edge of the bed.

"What did he say?" Phoenix asks eagerly.

Thalassa shrugs, then sits cautiously next to Phoenix, leaving ample room between them. "We talked about you, mostly. And the baby, of course."

"And?" he prompts.

"I feel like Miles was speaking to me in confidence," Thalassa says quietly. "I wouldn't feel right talking about it without him here. But I do encourage you to ask him about it." She pauses, regarding Phoenix with eyes both warm and sad. "He really loves you, you know."

Knowing it's unfair, he bites back the sarcastic reply on the tip of his tongue. He says, "Well, can you tell me what you're feeling, at least?"

Thalassa smiles tightly, and it feels bittersweet. She says, "You know, you've never asked me why I want this baby so badly."

Phoenix frowns. He has nothing to say to that, because it's true.

"Trucy is about ready to graduate from high school; Apollo is a grown man, leading his own life. My children have grown up without me." She puts her hand on her stomach, lowering her eyes. "This is a second chance for me. I want to do it right this time."

Phoenix feels a lump forming in his throat. God, he's such an asshole. He reaches for her hand and squeezes it tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Thalassa. I should have--"

"Hey," she says, cutting him off. "You're not a mind reader. How could you have known?"

He frowns. "No, don't let me off the hook for this. I would have known if I'd just taken the thirty seconds to ask you. Or hell, if I'd even taken five seconds to think about it."

"Am I that transparent?" she asks quietly.

"No," he says, squeezing her hand again. Frowning deeply, a line of worry creasing his brow, he says, "I just... I realize I haven't given much too much thought to your part in all of this, how you must be feeling."

"I know," she says simply.

Shame colors his cheeks. "I'm going to stop doing that, right now."

"Okay."

"I'm serious, Thalassa. I have to stop thinking of this has something that's happening to me and start thinking about it as something we're doing together." He takes her hand, smiling. "I mean, we're having a baby. That's pretty exciting, right?"

"I think so," she says, a smile tugging at her lips as well.

"It's pretty exciting stuff," he affirms, nodding.

  


* * *

  


 **August 28th, 2027 5:42pm  
Phoenix Wright's Bedroom **

"So you're in trouble, buddy," Maya answers in lieu of a hello.

Shit.

"Yeah, that's right," she says, as if reading his thoughts. "Trucy told me. Or rather, Trucy called me to plan a baby shower, assuming I already knew."

"She wants to plan the shower already?" Phoenix asks.

"It's going to be Candy Land themed, and it's going to be awesome. Don't change the subject."

"I meant to call you earlier. Things have been kind of hectic," Phoenix offers lamely.

"Too hectic to make a five minute phone call to your oldest, dearest friend?"

Phoenix hesitates a moment, then says, "Miles is in town."

"Why?" Maya snaps immediately, and Phoenix can practically see her scowl on the other end of the phone.

"We're sort of back together? Kind of?"

"Since when?"

"Since the Misham case?"

"What?!"

"It's been kind of a casual thing," Phoenix says, and even he doesn't believe it.

"So he's here to what? Further complicate an already complicated situation?"

"I cheated on him, Maya."

"And he's a prick. Now you're even."

"He wants to work it out, I think." He pauses, then adds, "And he's been really amazing to Thalassa, apparently."

"Apparently?"

"I'm going off of Thalassa's reports here." Another pause, and then, "We've been talking about the possibility of him moving back to California. For good. If we can work this out, I think it's for keeps this time."

Maya doesn't say anything. Phoenix continues, "I'm in love with him, okay? I need you to not hate him so much."

"I don't want to talk about this right now; we can talk about it if it ever actually happens, which it won't."

"Maya..."

"Nick, you're having a baby! Let's just be happy and talk about how you're going to name a daughter after your dear friend Maya Fey."

  


* * *

  


 **August 29th, 2027 7:23pm  
The Wright-Gramarye Household**

"Won't you even consider it?" Apollo asks, his hands on his hips.

"I mean, I considered it. It's just that my answer is still no," Phoenix says, playing a few errant notes on Machi's keyboard.

"I'd feel a lot more confident if you were there."

"Apollo, you're a gifted defense lawyer; you don't need me or anyone else in the courtroom with you."

"Maybe not," Apollo allows. "But why take chances? And would you stop playing that damn thing while I'm trying to talk to you?"

Phoenix sighs, taps a couple more of the keys, and turns around to face the other man. Not bothering to hide his exasperation, he says, "Because this is not my case; this is your case. It's not taking any chances to expect you to be able to do your job."

Apollo shakes his head. "You can't fool my eyes, Phoenix. Tell me what this is really about."

"It's like living with the fucking gestapo," Phoenix says, throwing up his hands and turning back to the keyboard. "I'm not going to court with you tomorrow, so go sniff around somewhere else."

  


* * *

  


 **August 30th, 2027 9:55am  
Defendant Lobby No. 2 **

Despite the teachings of the past, Apollo keeps his hopes up until the minute he's ushered into the courtroom. He knows he shouldn't be surprised when Phoenix doesn't show, but he is.

  


* * *

  


 **August 30th, 2027, 3:42pm  
Cityside High School**

"Well aren't you sweet," Trucy says, skipping over to him. "Picking your darling daughter up from school."

"That's what people are always saying about me," he agrees, smiling. "'That Phoenix Wright! What a guy!'"

Phoenix offers her his arm, which she accepts with mock graciousness. As they walk together down the sidewalk, Trucy tells him about her cute art teacher, and her lame calculus class, and how she's thinking of joining the debate team.

"Really?" he asks, giving her a sly smile. "The debate team?"

"Afraid I'll cheat?" she asks, wiggling her wrist to shake the brass bracelet Thalassa gifted her.

"It's not cheating, it's a natural talent."

"That's right!" she says, flashing him a smile. "And I like to think I've picked up a thing or two from my daddy the lawyer, as far as powers of persuasion go."

He barks out a laugh. "Oh, I don't think I was ever particularly persuasive. Particularly lucky, maybe."

"Then here," she says, taking his hand to rub it vigorously against the back of her own. "Rub some of that luck off on me."

He laughs, plucking his hand back from her grip. "Trucy Wright: magician, legal aid, and debate team champ. What can't she do?"

"Make a souffle?"

"Pfft. Who eats souffles?"

"Exactly."

They fall into an amiable silence. They're just a few blocks from the apartment; it's now or never.

"So, hey. Truce."

"Hey, Daddy-O."

"I'm sort of seeing somebody."

"Like, dating?"

"Yes, like dating."

She jumps in front of him, bracing her hands on his shoulders. "That's so great! Who is she? When can I--?"

"Trucy," Phoenix cuts her off, and her smile falters at the serious look on his face. "I'm dating a man."

A brief look of confusion crosses her face, then she starts again, her enthusiasm restored, "Okay, who is _he_? When can I meet him?"

"You already have."

"What? When?"

"I'm dating Mr. Edgeworth."

He can see her trying to make this make sense in her head. She takes her hands off of his shoulders and brings one to her chin in thought. She asks, "Doesn't he live in Germany?"

"He does. But he's thinking about moving back to LA, maybe."

Trucy smiles, apparently having been more confused by the logistics of a long-distance relationship than by the fact that her father is dating a man. She asks, "How did you two get together?" and resumes their walk down the sidewalk.

"We've been sort of on-again off-again for years," Phoenix says slowly. "Since before you and I met, even."

Her brow scrunches. "So, wait. I'm confused."

"Me too, most of the time."

"Have you guys been on-again since you adopted me? How long have you been on-again this time?"

"Yes, and since the end of the Misham case."

The crease in Trucy's brow deepens. She asks cautiously, "And you've been on-again the whole time since?"

"To varying degrees, yes," he says, knowing where this line of questioning is going and dreading its destination, but unable to lie to his daughter.

"Are the two of you in an open relationship?" she asks, a hint of accusation in her voice.

"No, no we are not."

"Daddy," she says, hesitant. "Mommy got pregnant well after the Misham case ended."

"Yes," he says, and there is so much guilt and grief evident in that one word that the admonishment on her tongue dies before it can reach her lips.

Instead she asks, quietly, "Does Mommy know about this?"

"I told her once I found out she was pregnant."

"Does Mr. Edgeworth know about this?"

"Yes," he says, preferring to prolong elaboration on this point for as long as possible.

"And how do they feel about it?"

"Well, they were upset, and rightfully so. Thalassa has forgiven me. Mr. Edgeworth is... Well. He's still pretty upset."

"He should be," Trucy says quietly, throwing him a side-long look.

"Yes," Phoenix agrees, "he should be. It will take a while for me to earn his trust back, if he decides to give me that opportunity."

Trucy twists a finger in her hair, thinking. She says, "You said you were dating someone. So you're still together."

"Yes, tentatively."

"And he's still thinking of moving to California?" She frowns, uncomprehending.

They're outside the apartment building now, and they stop to sit side-by-side on the stoop, their knees bumping together comfortably.

"Miles--Mr. Edgeworth, I mean--and I have had a lot of problems over the years. He's a difficult man to be close to, and he realizes this, but he's also unwilling to apologize for it, for the most part. But I love him, and I have since before I even knew what love was, really. And every time we've broken up, it's felt like a postponement more than an ending, like getting back together--and for good, at some point--was an inevitable eventuality."

"Do you think he's your soulmate?" Trucy asks, her eyes going wide.

Phoenix laughs, clipped and brittle. "I don't know about all that. More likely, I just don't know when to quit. But then, neither does he." He pauses, thinking about Miles, then continues, "But this time is different. If we can't recover from this, this is it for us. And we both know it. And it's scaring the shit out of us."

"Language," she admonishes, but she slides her hand into his in reassurance.


	4. Chapter 4

**August 31st, 2027, 8:15am  
The Wright-Gramarye Household**

In what is slowly turning into routine, Phoenix exits his building to enter Edgeworth's car, sliding into the passenger seat and asking if they can stop for a cup of coffee.

"If you wanted coffee, you should have left the house ten minutes earlier."

"Please?" Phoenix asks, batting his eyes.

Edgeworth sighs. "Fine."

He smiles a triumphant smile, which makes Edgeworth immediately regret his capitulation.

Phoenix exits the coffee shop with a cup in each hand; coffee for himself and hot water for Edgeworth, who smiles faintly when Phoenix hands him the cup.

"There are bags in the glove compartment, if you would be so kind," Edgeworth says, but Phoenix is ahead of him, already pulling out one of the fresh, hand-stuffed tea bags Edgeworth always keeps in the car.

He lowers the tea bag into the hot water, replaces the plastic lid, and says, "I'm sort of surprised you're still here."

Edgeworth cocks an eyebrow but doesn't look away from the road. "Oh?"

"I mean, didn't your fall semester start, like, yesterday?"

Edgeworth hesitates, stealing a glance at the man beside him, and says, "I'm on sabbatical."

"Since when?" Phoenix asks, eyes narrowing.

"Since two weeks ago."

"And you were going to mention this when?"

"I wasn't sure how long I'd be staying in LA," he answers tentatively. "And it hadn't come up in conversation."

Phoenix frowns and takes a sip of his coffee, trying to decide if this is worth turning into a fight. He supposes it's not, given that it is, in its way, good news. So he changes the subject, saying, "I told Trucy about us. All of it."

"All of it?" Edgeworth asks, not bothering to mask the concern in his voice.

"All that's fit for a father to tell his daughter, at least."

"Given your track record, that offers me no reassurance whatsoever."

Phoenix grins, because it's true. He says, "She wants to spend some time with you, and soon."

"I'd like that," Edgeworth says at once, and Phoenix doesn't doubt his honesty. "But how do you feel about it?"

"I made it clear to her that we were trying to work things out, but there was no guarantee of success," he says quietly, looking out the window. "She understands that, but she wants to get to know you anyway, given what a big part of my life you've been. She feels a bit left out, not knowing you."

"Okay," Edgeworth says, and he doesn't need to say anything more.

They're quiet until they reach the court house, where Edgeworth pulls up to the curb to drop Phoenix off. Phoenix hesitates, his hand gripping the handle of the door but not making a move to open it. Edgeworth taps his finger against the steering wheel, impatient; he's already running about five minutes late, what with their coffee-stop.

"Could we get dinner tonight? Maybe talk a little bit about how this whole working things out thing is going?"

Edgeworth nods, but Phoenix can see the uncertainty in his eyes.

"I'll call you when I'm done here, okay? And we can make some plans?"

"'I'll be in meetings until five, maybe later. So if I don't pick up..."

"Right," Phoenix says with a nod. He lingers another moment, then leans across the stickshift to plant a quick, chaste kiss on Edgeworth's cheek. "See you tonight."

  


* * *

  


 **August 31th, 2027, 8:15pm  
Miles Edgeworth's Hotel Room**

Phoenix meets Edgeworth at the hotel. Edgeworth is tired, having spent most of his day at the Prosecutor's Office dealing with pettiness, jealousy, and the new High Prosecutor, so they order room service and a crappy Pay-Per-View movie for background noise.

"This is nice," Phoenix says, gesturing between them with his glass of wine. They're sitting on the couch with the remnants of their dinner spread on the coffee table in front of them. Ryan Reynolds is saying something pithy on the television, but neither of them is paying attention.

"It is," Edgeworth agrees. He tips his head back, the stress of his day showing on his face. He spent most of their dinner listing the many reasons why there is no amount of money in the world that could get him back in that office. Phoenix remembers when they first got together, and how such an admission from Edgeworth--such openness about his frustrations--would take days of prying, pleading, and cold-shouldering on Phoenix's part to achieve.

Thinking of this reminds him of why they're here tonight, and he asks with no buildup, "Do you think you're ever going to be able to trust me again?"

Edgeworth turns to face him, a thoughtful frown shaping his lips. He says, "There is no one I trust more than you."

"Even now?" Phoenix asks, wearing a frown of his own.

"Even now," Edgeworth says with a shrug. "Although that may say more of my relationships with others than my relationship with you, I suppose."

"I did a pretty shitty thing."

"I know."

"And I wasn't going to tell you, had Thalassa not gotten pregnant."

"I know."

"And that's it?" Phoenix asks, disbelieving. "I wasn't going to tell you, Miles. I'm serious. I wasn't going to tell you. How could I possibly be any more untrustworthy than that?"

"We'll never know for sure if you would have told me," Edgeworth says. "I think you would have. But I'm not sure that's the point. The point is that, despite your pretenses, I can tell how your behavior has shamed you, and how you are struggling to make things right with me and Thalassa both."

"So it's okay because I feel guilty?"

"I didn't say it was okay," Edgeworth is quick to point out. "But you have seen the results of your actions, and you are sorry for how you have hurt the people you care about, and you are not the kind of person to make a mistake like that twice."

Phoenix blinks, holding back threatening tears. He knows that he should no longer find it surprising that Miles believes in him, but he does. It's always so surprising.

  


* * *

  


 **September 4th, 2027, 5:45pm  
Wonder Bar**

Upon his arrival, Edgeworth is herded to a table marked with a little yellow sign that says "Reserved". The three women who directed him to his seat hover over him, giggling to each other and asking enthusiastically if there's anything they can get for him. He declines, politely but unequivocally dismissing them, and wonders who had the big mouth: Phoenix or Trucy. Seems like it could go either way.

He's also wondering why there's only one other chair at the table. Surely that doesn't mean what he thinks it means.

As he's pondering what Phoenix would and would not do to him, Trucy Wright bounds up to him, hugging him before he even registers her presence and saying brightly, "Hi Uncle Miles!"

"Uncle Miles?" Edgeworth repeats, his arms pinned to his sides by Trucy's embrace.

She releases him and bounces into her seat, smiling widely. "Thanks for coming out for my show!"

"It's my pleasure," he answers easily. "Thank you for inviting me."

"You're always invited!" she says. Then, bringing her hand up to partially cover her mouth, she says conspiratorially, "But really, everyone is always invited. They give me an extra dollar for every butt I personally get in the door."

Edgeworth laughs. "Well I appreciate your honesty. Next time I'll make sure to bring friends."

"I thank you kindly, sir," she says with a wink.

"So," Edgeworth begins, hoping he's waited long enough so as to not be completely obvious, "when will your father be joining us?"

Trucy shakes her head. "I told him not to come. And believe me, he will be in for an earful if he shows up here tonight."

"I see," Edgeworth says, and manages not to sound completely panicked.

Before he has a chance to betray his apprehension, Trucy jumps back up, gives him another hug, and says, "Okay! I have to get backstage; I'm on in just a minute!"

Edgeworth nods dumbly.

"You're supposed to tell me to break a leg," Trucy says, wagging a finger at him.

"Oh. Right. Break a leg?"

"Thanks!"

And with that she's gone, disappearing into crowd. The house lights dim a minute or two later, and then the music starts, and Trucy pops out from behind the curtain, a spotlight following her across the stage.

Her show is funny and delightful, and it's obvious she's a natural performer, her inherent charm oozing out of her as she glides across the stage, schmoozing and wowing the crowd. Edgeworth wonders how much of her talent is because of her Gramarye heritage. Watching her, he wonders where Trucy Wright ends and Trucy Gramarye begins.

There is a heart-stopping minute in her show when she's looking for a volunteer and Edgeworth is sure she's going to pick him. She holds her hand against her forehead as though shielding her eyes so she can see farther back into the crowd, but she's staring directly at Edgeworth. She jumps down from the stage and starts walking toward him, and he shakes his head, No. She smiles and picks up her pace, cracking jokes with the audience as she goes. She clears the steps up to the slightly elevated seating area where Edgeworth is sitting, glides her hand along his shoulders as she passes him, and then invites the young man at the table next to him to join her up on stage, taking him by the hand. As she turns to lead the man through the crowd, she gives Edgeworth a mischievous wink, looking incredibly pleased with herself. And she is clearly Phoenix Wright's daughter.

  


* * *

  


 **September 4th, 2027, 7:32pm  
Wonder Bar**

"What'd you think?" Trucy asks as she slides into the seat across from him. She's smiling widely, her eyes bright and happy.

"I'm very impressed. Your father told me you were good, but I think he may have been understating the case."

Her smile, impossibly, widens. "Daddy's very modest."

"I particularly liked the bit with the panties," Edgeworth says, remembering how mortified Phoenix had been when Trucy first introduced that particular trick to her rotation.

"Right? Isn't it awesome?" she asks with the air of someone who has just been thoroughly vindicated. "Polly hates it, so I can't do it on nights he drops in or I'll hear about it for a week. But it's a crowd-pleaser! They love it! They love it because they know what awesome looks like when they see it."

"You and your brother get along well, I take it?"

"It's like he's spent his entire life wishing he had a little sister to worry over. I don't think he's ever quite as happy as when he's bossing me around."

"Sounds like a typical older sibling to me," Edgeworth says, sounding a little wistful.

"You have an older brother?" Trucy asks. The waitress brings over their their appetizer, and Trucy shoves a handful of onion straws in her mouth as she waits for Edgeworth's answer.

"A younger sister, actually," Edgeworth answers, smiling fondly. "But she fancies herself the older sibling. I was adopted when I was young, and I went from being an only child to having a bossy sister telling me what to do all the time. But as I got older, I realized it was her way of letting me know she cared; she was trying to look out for me, in her way."

"I used to be an only child, too!" Trucy exclaims, excited to discover they have so much in common. "It was nice, but I like having brothers. Even when Polly's acting like a dad."

Edgeworth smiles. "I know exactly what you mean."

"See, this isn't so bad."

"What?" Edgeworth asks, confused by her sudden tangent.

"Daddy said you'd be mad at him for leaving you alone, but look at what a nice time we're having." She chews on another onion straw and crinkles her brow. "We are having a nice time, right?"

Edgeworth takes a quick, deep sip of his drink to mask his embarrassment. Of course Phoenix wouldn't have the tact to keep Edgeworth's likely discomfort to himself. He says, "We've having a very nice time."

She nods, smiling. "Daddy thinks you're going to yell at him when you see him. I told him it would be fine; you and I need some time alone to get to know each other."

"Of the two of us, Phoenix is much better at carrying the conversation," Edgeworth says slowly. It's strange, discussing his relationship with Phoenix with someone other than the man himself. "I'm not much for socialization, and he knows it. He was just worried I would be uncomfortable, I'm sure."

"So he was just trying to look out for you," Trucy says, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Then there's no way you'll yell at him! He's such a worrier!"

Edgeworth stares at her, impressed. Does she realize how impossible she's just made it for him to scold Phoenix when he sees him? She smiles at him with a mouth full of onion straws, and he's convinced that she must.

The waitress comes over to take their order, clearing the empty appetizer plate as she goes. Trucy waits until she's out of earshot before she says, "So, I hear you're thinking of moving to California."

Edgeworth's eyebrows jump up his forehead. "Your father said that, did he?"

Trucy nods, taking a sip of her Shirley Temple. "He's pretty excited about it, but nervous, too. Like a kid on the first day of school."

"He said that?"

"Well, no. But I can tell by the way he talks about it."

"What else did he say?" Edgeworth asks, because he can't help himself.

"He said that if you guys can't work it out this time, you probably never will."

Edgeworth frowns, then asks carefully, "How much has your father told you?"

"Everything," Trucy says, and for the first time since they've met he hears a hint of sadness in her voice. "He said he felt like he'd been lying to me, and he couldn't stand to do anymore lying."

"That sounds like something he would say."

"He's a really good guy," Trucy says, a sudden intensity about her. "He just made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes, sometimes."

"I know, that's why I'm here."

"He really loves you," she continues. Then she pauses, frowning, and says, "He doesn't love Mommy--not like that, at least."

"That almost makes it worse, doesn't it?" Edgeworth asks rhetorically, the words out of his mouth before he can stop them.

"Maybe." She frowns, then shakes her head to clear it. She says brightly, "Hey! What's it like to live in Germany?"

And so he tells her all about it.

  


* * *

  


 **September 4th, 2027, 6:52pm  
Wright Anything Agency**

"I thought I might find you here."

Apollo doesn't look up from his work. If he looks up, he's afraid he might punch the other man in the face, and he doesn't think he can get away with that twice in one lifetime.

"I know Thalassa spoke with you this afternoon," Phoenix says, moving some copies of Magician's Monthly onto the floor so he can sit at the desk with Apollo. He waits patiently for Apollo to acknowledge him, which the younger man finds infuriating.

"I have nothing to say to you," Apollo says eventually, hating that he's the first to cave.

"Okay," Phoenix says lightly, and Apollo can hear him settling more comfortably into his seat. "I can wait until you think of something."

A minute passes, then five. Then ten. Phoenix says nothing, whistling quietly to himself to pass the time. Apollo can't take it any more.

"You're fucking Miles Edgeworth? Miles Edgeworth, Demon Prosecutor?"

"To put it crudely," Phoenix says blithely. "Also, no one really calls him that anymore."

"You used my mother to cheat on Miles Edgeworth."

There's a denial on Phoenix's lips, but he presses them shut, frowning. He says, "There was a bit more to it than that, but yes, that was part of it. I'm not proud of it, and I'm doing my best to make amends."

"Thalassa says she's forgiven you," Apollo says with a certain amount of contempt.

"She's an exceptionally kind person."

"And Prosecutor Edgeworth is seriously considering moving back to California, I hear. To work things out with you."

"It seems that way, yeah."

"And isn't that just perfect?" Apollo asks, standing to pace behind the desk. "Isn't it nice how everything always works out so well for you?"

Phoenix sighs. "What do you want from me, Apollo?"

"I want people to stop letting you off the hook for anything and everything. I want someone to hold you accountable for your actions, and it looks like it's going to have to be me."

"Okay."

"Okay?" Apollo asks, indignant. "Okay, and that's it?"

"Listen: I know I did an awful thing, and I feel like shit about it. And frankly, I feel like I'm getting off too easy, too. Why isn't everybody angrier with me? How do I deserve to have such kind, forgiving people in my life when I'm capable of treating those same people so badly?" Phoenix frowns, running a troubled hand through his hair. "I really don't get it. But at the same time, it makes me more determined to set things right, to be a better person. I want to be the person you all seem to think I am." He looks at Apollo, and it's maybe the first time the attorney has ever seen him look so open. "You expect better of me, and you're not going to let me forget it. I respect that; I'm thankful for that, even. But I hope you'll give me the chance to earn your forgiveness, too."

Apollo stares at him, wary of a trick.

"I'll let you get back to your work. Thanks for hearing me out."

He leaves the office quietly, and it's almost like he wasn't really ever there.

Apollo sits back down at the desk, his face still hot and flushed with anger. He has a stack of evidence to go through yet, and several hours of backlogged paperwork. And he can't focus on any of it, unable to shake the image of Phoenix so sad and earnest, asking for his forgiveness.


	5. Chapter 5

**September 6th, 2027, 11:45am  
Doctor's Office**

"Thank you again for coming today."

"Are you kidding?" Phoenix asks, looking up from his _Pregnancy and You_ pamphlet. "You think I'm going to miss the first sonogram?"

Thalassa smiles. It's nice--a relief--to see Phoenix so earnestly excited. He's been antsy all morning, like a kid on Christmas morning. He actually woke her up at 6am, asking her to get breakfast with him at the diner because he couldn't get back to sleep, he was so excited.

"Hello happy parents!" Dr. Schul says brightly as she re-enters the room. "Are you ready, Thalassa?"

"As ready as I'm going to be," Thalassa says, smiling tightly.

"Don't worry," Dr. Schul says as she sets up the stirrups. "It's no worse than a pap and much more rewarding."

Phoenix averts his eyes, awkward, as Thalassa covers her legs with the thin paper sheet and positions her heels in the stirrups. He hears Dr. Schul murmuring to the other woman comfortingly, then a hitch in Thalassa's breath as the probe is inserted.

"Okay, Phoenix," she says, sounding a little amused. "You can look now."

He turns back to the pair, and to the sonogram monitor. Dr. Schul points to a little patch of white in a sea of inky blackness, "That's your baby right there."

It's so small, Phoenix thinks, and reaches for Thalassa's hand. He wants to look at her, to see how happy she must look, how bright her eyes must be, but he can't look away from that little blob of white.

"Right now the fetus is about the size of a plum," the doctor says. She points to the screen, saying, "Here's the tiny little fists, and the tiny little feet."

"Jesus," Phoenix breaths, leaning forward to get closer to the screen.

"You guys still don't want to know the gender?"

Phoenix turns to look at Thalassa for confirmation. He was right; she looks absolutely jubilant.

  


* * *

  


 **September 7th, 2027, 4:53pm  
The Wright-Gramarye Household**

"Okay, wait," Phoenix says, his voice barely above a whisper. Edgeworth stops, his hand hovering over the doorknob.

"What?"

"Turn around."

Edgeworth sighs, but he obliges, turning in the hall outside of Phoenix's apartment to look at the other man. Phoenix frowns, thoughtful, and needlessly straightens the lapels of Edgeworth's suit. He licks the pad of his thumb and moves to smooth out Edgeworth's eyebrow, but the man jerks away from him, disgusted.

"Aren't I the one who is supposed to be nervous?" Edgeworth asks, running a vain thumb over his brow.

"You are nervous," Phoenix points out, helping nothing. "But your nervousness does not exclude my nervousness."

"'It's like ripping off a band-aid.' Isn't that what you always tell me?"

"Yeah, but I just say things to get you out of the house, sometimes," Phoenix says, but Edgeworth ignores him, opening the door to the apartment.

The house smells like the roast Thalassa has been working on all afternoon. Thalassa herself is nowhere to be seen, but Trucy and Machi are carefully putting the food into serving bowls, and Apollo is with them in the kitchen, looking into a pot on the stove with obvious skepticism. The three of them look up simultaneously at the sound of the opening door.

"Hi Uncle Edgeworth! Hi Daddy!" Trucy chirps as the men enter the apartment. "Mommy went to the store to get some more butter for the rolls, but she'll be back any minute. She should be just in time; the food is almost ready!"

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Phoenix asks, casting a wary eye at Apollo but otherwise settling normally into the hustle and bustle of dinner preparations.

Trucy presses a finger to her lips, thinking, and looks to Machi. The boy shakes his head. Trucy says, "Nah, you guys will probably just get in the way. You know what they say about too many cooks in the kitchen!"

Phoenix gestures for Edgeworth to take a seat, then flops down next to him on the couch. He watches Apollo put down a wooden spoon and round the island counter that separates the kitchen from the living room. He tenses in spite of himself, trying not to betray his worry on his face.

"Prosecutor Edgeworth," Apollo says as he approaches the couch. He offers his hand and says, "It's a pleasure to see you again."

"And you, Mr. Justice," Edgeworth says, accepting the proffered hand warmly. "But I'm no prosecutor tonight."

"And Mr. Justice is my father," Apollo says with a smile, but he looks over his shoulder, as if worried Thalassa might hear him from down the street. "Now, can I get you gentleman anything to drink? We have Kool-aid, milk, and Sunny Delight, I believe."

Edgeworth turns to Phoenix in confusion. Phoenix answers, "He'll have a glass of water. But hey, I'm no guest; I can help you get the drinks."

Apollo nods, his smile faltering slightly. Edgeworth stares after the two of them as they enter the kitchen, wondering what he's supposed to do with himself now that he's been left alone on the couch. He doesn't have to wait long, however, as Thalassa returns a few minutes later, setting off a noisy chain of chaos that somehow results in all of them seated at the table, dinner neatly spread out in front of them. Their dinning set only intended for five, Phoenix wheels over the desk chair, squeezing in between Edgeworth and Trucy.

It feels nice, having everyone together, regardless of the original circumstances that led to such an event. Phoenix can't help but smile, even when he catches Apollo glaring at him.

The first half of dinner goes relatively smoothly. Edgeworth is quiet unless directly spoken to, but there's nothing surprising about that, and he seems content to listen to Trucy talk about her day at school and how well Machi did on their Spanish test. Machi blushes, but he says nothing in response to her praise. At what seems like a natural pause in Trucy's story, Edgeworth excuses himself to go to the bathroom.

As soon as he's out of sight, but well before he's out of earshot, Trucy asks, "Isn't it nice having Uncle Edgeworth here?"

Edgeworth quickens his pace, not wanting to hear them talk about him. He's in the bathroom in time to miss Apollo respond, "He seems like a standup guy. Too bad we couldn't have made his acquaintance under better circumstances."

Trucy and Thalassa's lips curl in matching frowns. Machi hides a laugh behind his hand. Phoenix says, "But there's no changing the past, now is there?"

"Much to your chagrin, I'm sure," Apollo says causally.

"You think this is an appropriate time to get into this?" Phoenix asks lowly.

Apollo shrugs. His voice still light, he says, "No one asked me if I thought it was appropriate for you to bring your boyfriend--however pleasant he might be--home for dinner when my mother is sitting here next to you, pregnant with your child."

"Enough," Thalassa snaps. Apollo's cheeks immediately color in shame, his eyes moving down to his plate. Phoenix grins sheepishly, hand at the back of his neck. She looks at them both disapprovingly and says, "No fighting at the dinner table--especially when we have a guest. And while I appreciate your concern, Apollo, I'll remind you that it was my idea to invite Mr. Edgeworth over tonight."

"Sorry," Apollo murmurs. Thalassa nods, then looks expectantly at Phoenix.

"Sorry," Phoenix says, looking at Apollo.

Edgeworth returns just in time to miss the entire thing, but it's nothing but short answers from him for the rest of the meal, and Phoenix is relatively sure he was waiting in the hallway until the spat was over, hearing most of the conversation.

After dinner, Thalassa pulls Edgeworth over to the couch with her, and Trucy and Machi disappear into Machi's bedroom, leaving Apollo and Phoenix alone in the kitchen on clean up duty.

As though no one else in the house knows what it means when two people talk quietly in the kitchen with the water running, Phoenix turns on the faucet and says quietly, "Look, I know you're angry with me, and that's fine. But don't take it out on Miles."

"I waited until he was out of the room," Apollo offers lamely.

"You don't know him as well as I do, so I wouldn't expect you to be able to tell, but he obviously heard at least part of our conversation. He was already so nervous about tonight..." Phoenix sighs and steals a look over at Edgeworth, who seems to be engaged in easy conversation with Thalassa. It makes him feel better, seeing Miles more at ease. He continues, "He didn't do anything wrong, you know? Please don't take it out on him."

"I didn't mean for him to hear me. Honestly."

Phoenix nods. "I know. It's just... He's already trying so hard. For me." He smiles, trying to diffuse the tension. "No one's allowed to give him shit but me, you know?"

"He seems like a good guy, Phoenix," Apollo says, looking up from the dishes to meet the other man's eyes. But his gaze turns just as quickly back to the dirty plate in his hands, and he continues, "It's just weird. Thalassa and I talked about it for a long time, when she first suggested we invite him over. I thought I would be okay with it, but seeing Thalassa being so nice to him--and I know he didn't do anything, but still--and to you... It makes me angry. I don't understand how she can be so forgiving."

"She has a heart bigger than anyone I've ever met." Phoenix waits for Apollo to look at him before he adds, "I'm very lucky to have her in my life."

"Yes," Apollo says evenly, "you are."

  


* * *

  


 **September 6th, 2027, 7:56pm  
The Wright-Gramarye Household**

Aside from a quick but extremely entertaining magic number by Trucy--with Machi as her musical accompaniment--the rest of the night progresses quietly, without further incident. Edgeworth spends most of the evening speaking in hushed tones with Thalassa, but he also joins Apollo and Phoenix in a good-natured debate about prison over-crowding. And he seems to be enjoying himself; he seems to be relaxed.

Still, Phoenix isn't surprised that by seven-thirty his eyes dart frequently to the door and that before it's even eight he's thanking Phoenix's family for such a wonderful dinner while slipping into his jacket.

"I'll walk you down," Phoenix says, stepping out into the hall with Edgeworth before he can protest.

Phoenix follows him out onto the sidewalk, to his car at the curb. They linger silently, reluctant.

"So," Phoenix says, rocking on the balls of his feet. "You're headed back to the hotel?"

"I was thinking I might actually spend the night out on the town."

"Really?" Phoenix asks, his eyebrows raising comically.

"No."

Phoenix rolls his eyes. Edgeworth looks at him expectantly. When it seems Phoenix has nothing more to say, Edgeworth opens his mouth to say goodnight, but then Phoenix blurts, "I could go with you. I mean, if you wanted me to."

"To the hotel, you mean?" Edgeworth asks, his eyes narrowing, scrutinous.

"Yeah."

Edgeworth frowns, his brow creased in thought. He says, "I'm not sure if that's a good idea."

"Oh," Phoenix says, letting himself frown for a second before remembering this was supposed to be a no-pressure offer. He says, "Okay. That's totally fine."

"It's not that I don't want you to," Edgeworth explains awkwardly. "In a lot of ways, it's a very tempting offer. But it's too soon, I think, and I don't want to further complicate things."

Phoenix nods. "Things are complicated enough already."

"Exactly."

Another silence, then Phoenix asks, "Can I kiss you goodnight?"

Edgeworth nods, and they each take a hesitant step toward the other. Phoenix very gently glides his fingers over Edgeworth's jaw line, bringing his hand to cup the other man's cheek, then presses a chaste, dry kiss to the man's lips.

His forehead resting softly against Edgeworth's, Phoenix whispers, "Thank you for being here."

"I said I wanted to get to know your family, didn't I?" Edgeworth asks, his voice equally quiet, as though they're sharing some secret.

"That's not what I meant, but thank you for that, too. I meant thank you for not leaving--for not going back to Germany. For coming out here at all."

Edgeworth shrugs, but his cheeks are flushed with embarrassment. "For whatever reason, it appears that I love you."

Phoenix chances another kiss at that, and he is not rebuffed. He slides an arm around Edgeworth's hips, bringing his hand to the small of Edgeworth's back.

"I'm sorry I was so angry with you when you first got here. Here you were, trying to forgive me, and all I did was snap at you."

Edgeworth moves out of the embrace. His eyes sliding to the pavement, he says, "Your anger was not without merit."

"True," Phoenix allows. "But I could have been less of a dick about it."

"True," Edgeworth mimics. Phoenix smiles and plants a final, chaste kiss on Edgeworth's cheek.

"Alright, get out of here, then."


	6. Chapter 6

**October 7th, 2027, 2:13pm  
Tres Bien**

"Why do you insist that we keep coming here?" Edgeworth asks, frowning at what the chef is daring to call beef consommé.

"I find it strangely comforting. It's like the scratchy sweater your gradma always gave you for Christmas."

Edgeworth raises an eyebrow.

"Oh, right. Like fruitcake, then. Or do you people genuinely like fruitcake? I can never remember."

"You people?' Edgeworth repeats.

"Germans," Phoenix clarifies, gesturing with his spoon in, presumably, the general direction of Europe.

"You do remember that I'm not actually German, right?"

Phoenix shrugs, taking another slurp of his soup. He grimaces. "I don't think this is something that a man with such refined tastes as yourself could ever fully understand."

"I understand that it's crap. And I'll have you know that what America tries to pass off as fruitcake is a poor impression of the real thing."

Phoenix smirks. Edgeworth rolls his eyes, and the two fall into a companionable silence.

  


* * *

  


**October 13th, 2027, 2:13pm  
Open House**

"What about Bertha?"

"What about Maude?"

Thalassa crinkles her nose, laughing. "How about Rudolph?"

"Oh!" Phoenix says, his eyes lighting up, "How about Frosty? You can't top being named after a snowman and a delicious snack beverage."

"So," the real estate agent interjects as they enter the kitchen, "you've now seen the entire place. What do you guys think?"

"Could we have a moment alone to discuss it?" Thalassa asks politely. The agent nods and ducks out of the room. Thalassa turns to Phoenix and says, "All of the places we're looking at have six bedrooms."

"Yes?" Phoenix replies, confused.

Thalassa smiles shyly, then asks, "Don't you think Miles would need an office?"

  


* * *

  


**October 13th, 2027, 6:25pm  
Miles Edgeworth's Hotel Room**

"You've been meeting Thalassa for lunch?" Phoenix asks, blowing past Edgeworth to enter the suite.

"Hello," Edgeworth says mildly.

"Why am I just finding out about this today?"

"Honestly? I guess I just assumed Thalassa had mentioned it," Edgeworth says as he moves to sit on the couch.

"Well, she did, but not until this afternoon."

"My apologies?"

Phoenix crosses his arms over his chest, standing over Edgeworth. "That's it?"

"Yes. Or are you of the opinion that I did something wrong?"

"You don't think there's something strange about clandestine meetings with Thalassa?"

Edgeworth barks out a laugh. "Clandestine? Are you sure you're not projecting your guilt onto me?"

Phoenix opens his mouth, then immediately snaps it shut, his cheeks coloring in embarrassment.

"I would think," Edgeworth continues, "that you would be happy to hear we've been getting along so swimmingly. I did not expect you would suspect me of transgressions."

"I didn't say that," Phoenix offers weakly.

"You didn't have to, now did you?"

Phoenix takes a seat on the couch next to Miles, letting out a sigh as he sinks into the cushions. Edgeworth says, "It's unfair to distrust me because you did something deceitful."

"I know," Phoenix says miserably.

Edgeworth lets a moment pass for Phoenix to collect himself. Then he says, "Thalassa and I get along rather well. It's been a most pleasant surprise."

"That's good," Phoenix says, accepting Edgeworth's invitation to move on from their confrontation.

"She's thinks we should build a relationship with each other that is independent of our relationships with you, and I think that's very wise of her."

"I think wise is a very good way to describe Thalassa," Phoenix agrees, then waits a beat and says, "Today she suggested that we should include you in our house hunting."

Edgeworth frowns. "I told her I didn't think that was such a good idea."

"Yeah, she told me that. She sent me over here to try to change your mind."

"Do you want me to change my mind?" Edgeworth asks carefully.

"I don't want to push you into anything you're not ready for. I mean, you're in California; I don't want to press my luck."

"That doesn't quite answer my question," Edgeworth points out.

Phoenix pauses, thinking, then says, "Objectively, it seems like it might be a bit premature. But honestly, yes, I want you to change your mind."

"I require a good deal of privacy." Edgeworth says.

"I realize that."

"I also require a good deal of peace and quiet."

"I realize that as well."

"And I think I'm going to be ready to buy a puppy in the near future."

Phoenix's eyebrows jump up his forehead. "Are you sure?"

Edgeworth nods. "It's been long enough. Pess would want me to move on."

Phoenix puts a comforting hand on Edgeworth's knee, knowing that even now it can be hard for him to talk about his beloved hound. He says, "We could get a puppy. I might want to wait until the baby is a little older, though."

"That would be fine," Edgeworth says, then continues, "I would theoretically be willing to foot the bill in order to meet my needs. I wouldn't want anyone to put themselves out in order to accommodate me."

"Theoretically," Phoenix repeats, nodding.

  


* * *

  


**December 24th, 2027, 2:15pm  
Phoenix Wright's Apartment Building**

Maya shifts the packages in her arms, trying to find a way to scratch the itch at her nose without losing her grip. She's just about got it when a voice behind her startles her, and she has to adjust her posture quickly to keep everything from spilling onto the floor of the lobby.

"Hello, Ms. Fey."

"Hello, Assface."

Edgeworth tsks. "That's not very merry of you."

Maya sticks out her tongue, unable to give him the finger with her hands occupied as they are.

"Can I help you carry some of that upstairs?"

Maya looks at him with a frown. "Are you seriously showing up empty handed?"

"My gifts are already under the tree."

Maya harumphs, then says, "If you want to be useful, scratch my nose for me."

Edgeworth laughs, then obliges.

  


* * *

  


**December 24th, 2027, 2:19pm  
The Wright-Gramarye Household**

"Merry Christmas!" Trucy exclaims as Maya and Edgeworth walk through the door. Phoenix looks up and, seeing them enter together, goes wide-eyed.

"Merry Merry!" Maya replies, dumping her presents unceremoniously under the tree. Pearl throws herself at her cousin as though it's been weeks since she's seen her instead of less than twenty-four hours. Maya pulls Trucy into the bear hug as well, then moves to squeeze the stuffing out of Phoenix. Once he can breath again, she whispers, "Don't worry, I'm on my best Christmas behavior."

"So, what, you're going to eat cookies and drink eggnog while calling him names?" Phoenix whispers back. Maya laughs and bounces off to bestow more greetings by way of bone-crushing hugs, and Phoenix frowns after her.

"No need for such a dour expression," Edgeworth says quietly, snaking an arm around Phoenix's waist. "Ms. Fey and I are adults, fully capable of civility."

"Maybe you are--Maya, I'm not so sure about."

"She called me only one disparaging name during our elevator ride up together," Edgeworth says, a patience in his voice that belies how Maya's anger wears at him. "I'd say she's doing rather well. Now, pour me a glass of eggnog and stop worrying."

"You want eggnog?" Phoenix asks, eyebrows climbing his forehead in surprise.

"I don't want eggnog, but it would hardly be Christmas if you didn't try to sway me from the opinion that it is little better than spoilt milk."

"Is this what it looks like when Miles Edgeworth catches the holiday spirit?" Phoenix asks with mock alarm. "Because it's weird, and I'm not sure like it."

"Just go get me that wretched swill and let's get it over with," Edgeworth retorts, rolling his eyes.

Phoenix grins and graces the other man with a quick peck on the cheek. "If you're lucky, maybe I'll add a little whiskey to it."

"Do not even think of sullying my whiskey with that rubbish," Edgeworth calls after him. The bounce in Phoenix's steps tells him his words have fallen on deaf ears.

And indeed, when Phoenix returns with the glass, Edgeworth takes a sip, laments such willful misuse of his Bushmills Black Bush, and then hands it to Apollo. The younger man stares at the glass for a moment, wondering if it isn't weird for him to drink at a family gathering--and at two in the afternoon!--then shrugs and takes a deep gulp of the stuff.

"See!" Phoenix exclaims, gesturing enthusiastically at Apollo as the man takes another swig. "That's Christmas!"

"It kind of tastes like sour milk," Apollo says, looking down into the glass with mild confusion. "Is it supposed to taste like that?"

Edgeworth smirks as Phoenix's mouth drops open in shock.

"What is wrong with you people?!" he asks before stalking out into the living room to be with the eggnog-loving side of his family--the _sane_ side of the family.

  


* * *

  


**December 24th, 2027, 4:30pm  
The Wright-Gramarye Household**

"I'm impressed," Maya says, joining Edgeworth on the couch. They're alone in the living room, the rest of the group crowded into the kitchen and dinning room to help with dinner, or watch others help with dinner. "Two hours in and you haven't bailed yet."

"I'm glad I could live up to your lofty expectations."

"Hey," she says, holding up her hands defensively, "you set the standards yourself."

Edgeworth stays quiet, unable to argue that and wary of allowing Maya to goad him.

"Listen," she says, waiting for him to look at her before she continues. "You both know I think you're no good for him. And you know what, maybe he's bad for you, too. But for whatever stupid reason, you two seem dead set on trying it again. So here's the deal: I am willing keep all of my logical, well-constructed reasons why you guys should just knock if off to myself, because even though I am highly suspicious of you, it does seem like maybe you're serious this time. Plus, Nick has made it pretty clear that he'll kill me if I try to sabotage this. Plus, it's Christmas, and Christmas is a time for giving."

"That's very kind of you," he says in quiet disbelief. "I barely know what to say."

"Don't say anything," she says immediately, an authoritative tone in her voice. "This is the last time I'm willing to help stitch up Nick's broken heart. If you screw this up and then the two of you try to get back together, forget it. I will kidnap one of you--probably you, let's be honest--and lock you in a cellar for the rest of your life before I'd let you get back together. You hear me?"

"I hear you."

"And this doesn't mean we're friends again," she continues, poking him in the shoulder. "I'm giving you a shot here, but all is not forgiven. I'm not going to interfere with you and Nick, but if you want my trust back, you're going to have to earn it."

"I understand."

The two sit in silence for a moment, watching the others move around in the kitchen. Maya catches Phoenix looking at them, worry clear in his eyes, and says to Edgeworth, "Let's start now."

"What?"

"Let's start right now: Tell me something that will help me trust you. Tell me something about you and Nick."

"I'm not entirely comfor--"

"No," she says, cutting him off. "Don't tell me it's none of my business. Nick is my best friend, and he is my business. And if you're Nick's business, then you're my business, too."

It's hard for Edgeworth to resist arguing that logic, but he manages to let it go. He frowns, deep in thought, and after a moment he says, "I sent my letter of resignation to the university at the beginning of June."

"What?"

"I spent the rest of the month thoroughly outlining my curricula for my replacement."

She stares at him, having trouble believing that this means what she thinks it means. "So what were you still doing there in August?"

"Getting cold feet," Edgeworth admits. "I'm no fool; I know Phoenix and I have had our problems. I feared that my return would serve only to cause us both more heartache in the end."

"And what did Nick think?"

"He didn't know. And he will never know; this is for you and me alone. Do you understand?"

Maya nods, unsure of what to say. After a moment, she asks, "And you still came, after Nick...?"

Edgeworth shrugs. "It's been difficult. Sometimes when I think about it, my anger is like a tangible, tendriled thing, and I'm sure it will suffocate the both of us."

"Um," she says hesitantly, unaccustomed to such honesty from him. "I'm not sure I understand why you're here, then, if you're so mad."

"I love him," he says simply. "What can I do? The older I get, the more I see the inevitability of this, of us--the less I see the sense in trying to escape it."

"Why would you try to escape someone you love?" she asks, as she's been wanting to ask him for years.

"I don't expect you to understand," he say quietly. Then, with a soft breath of a laugh, he adds, "Phoenix understands. He doesn't like it, and he can't always accept it, but he understands."

"You two are weird," she says, but it's gentle, almost fond.

"I can't argue that. Now, I think the man is going to have an aneurism if we spend any more time together out of his earshot, so let's join the others."

  


* * *

  


**December 24th, 2027, 11:24pm  
The Wright-Gramarye Household**

At eleven, everyone gathers around the tree to continue the Trucy-and-Phoenix tradition of opening one of their presents on Christmas Eve. Thalassa gets to open two: one for her and one for Baby.

After the merriment, the kids and Maya head to their rooms, everyone exchanging goodnight hugs and holiday wishes. It's quiet in the house now, Apollo and Thalassa speaking softly in the living room, Phoenix and Edgeworth commandeering the kitchen.

"I should go," Edgeworth says, even as he lets Phoenix pour him another cup of tea.

"You should stay," Phoenix says, pressing the teacup into Edgeworth's hand. He's had a few whiskey eggnogs--just enough to rosy his cheeks and make him smile more easily.

"Phoenix," Edgeworth says, lowering his voice. "I don't think it would be a good idea."

Phoenix frowns, looking thoughtful. After a moment he says, "I could just go ask him."

"I don't want to make trouble."

"We're all going to live together; better he start getting used to seeing you in your pajamas now. Here," Phoenix says, and kisses Edgeworth on the nose. "I'll be right back."

Phoenix enters the living room just as Thalassa stands up to head to bed. He gives her a quick goodnight kiss on the cheek before he takes her spot next to Apollo.

"Christmas is the best," Phoenix observes, sinking into the couch.

"You could make a very compelling case for that, yes."

"Hey listen," Phoenix says, abruptly shifting the topic. "Is it okay if Miles stays over?"

Apollo laughs. "Why are you asking me? I'm not your mom."

"I just figured, you know, you're still mad at me, and maybe it would be weird for you... We don't want to make you uncomfortable."

The younger man nods, steepling his fingers in thought. "You know, you've been uncharacteristically pleasant lately."

Phoenix let's out a nervous laugh--he's used to some good-natured ribbing, but with the way things have been between him and Apollo lately, he's not sure where the man's going with this.

"Thalassa seems really happy lately," Apollo continues, "and I don't think it's just because of the baby; I think you and Mr. Edgeworth have had a lot to do with that. You've both been really good to her."

"I've been trying," Phoenix says quietly. He takes a deep breath and says, "I realize that, before all this started, I was kind of distant. Secretive, even." Apollo makes a "no shit" face at that as Phoenix continues, "And I figured I should probably work on that, if we're going to be a proper family."

"And it's been noticed. And appreciated." He pauses, then concludes, "I guess what I'm saying is, is that I can be done being mad at you."

"That's-- Really?"

"Merry Christmas, Phoenix," Apollo says, and then is crushed as Phoenix throws his arms around him in relief and gratitude.

  


* * *

  


**December 24th, 2027, 11:42pm  
Phoenix Wright's Bedroom**

Edgeworth hovers in the middle of the room as Phoenix roots through his clothes for something suitable for his guest to wear to bed.

"Aha!" he says, emerging triumphant from the closet.

Edgeworth looks at the proffered garments with a scrutinizing eye. "Is that my Steel Samurai t-shirt?"

"Oh, is it?" Phoenix asks, all innocence and sincerity.

"I've been looking for this thing for three years," Edgeworth grumbles, pulling the shirt on over his head. He follows with a pair of flannel pajama pants covered in anthropomorphized Christmas trees. Still complaining, he says, "I feel about seven years old, dressed like this."

"Hey, it's your t-shirt," Phoenix teases, and flops onto the middle of the bed with a thud. He then scrambles onto his own side of the mattress, burrowing happily under the dark blue comforter.

"Well?" he asks, watching Edgeworth continue to stand in the middle of the room. "Are you going to join me or what?"

Edgeworth frowns, eying the expanse of sky blue sheets next to Phoenix. Twice recently Phoenix has spent the night at Edgeworth's suite at the Gatewater--no funny business, just sleep and the world's most tentative cuddling--but this is the first time Edgeworth has stayed over with Phoenix. He admits, "I'm finding this a bit more disconcerting than I anticipated."

Phoenix sits up, wearing a frown of his own. He says, "I bought new sheets."

"Yes, I suspected you might have," Edgeworth answers, and makes no move to join Phoenix in the bed.

"I couldn't afford a new mattress."

Edgeworth scowls. "This is ridiculous."

"It's not ridiculous," Phoenix says, throwing off the comforter. He moves to sit cross-legged in the middle of the bed, then pats the mattress next to him, indicating that Edgeworth should join him. The man does so reluctantly. Phoenix continues, "I feel kind of weird about it myself, honestly. For about a week after it happened, I'd lie awake for hours feeling like a stranger in my own bed, until eventually I'd give up and go sleep on the couch."

"That must have made Thalassa feel wonderful," Edgeworth murmurs, casting a sideways glance at the corner of the room so as to avoid looking at Phoenix.

"I'm not a total asshole; I set my alarm before anyone else woke up so I could move back to my bedroom before anyone saw me. And remember, we didn't want the kids finding out."

"Secrecy has always been so unbecoming on you."

Phoenix shrugs. He doesn't deny it, instead saying, "We can't all pull off an air of mystery as well as Miles Edgeworth."

"Noted," Edgeworth says, accepting the jab as an accurate one. He worries the sheet between his fingers and says, "Most of the time, I am able to be pragmatic and reasonable. I like Thalassa very much, and I love you no less than I did before, and it's clear you are repentant. Most of the time, I am able to accept these things and respond accordingly, with forgiveness and acceptance. But sometimes..."

"Sometimes you find yourself at the scene of the crime."

"Such subtlety," Edgeworth says, but the dig falls flat.

"Ah, but there's more to it than that," Phoenix continues, ignoring Edgeworth's attempt to sidetrack him. "This is also where I play Scrabble with Truce, and where Machi comes when he's feeling lonely but he doesn't want anyone asking him any questions, and where Maya and Pearls crash when I'm feeling young enough to sleep on a couch, and where I make late night phone calls to a certain prosecutor across the Atlantic."

Edgeworth harumphs, but the tension in his shoulders recedes--just a little--and when Phoenix scoots back up to his pillow, he follows suit. Phoenix flicks off the light, and they shift beneath the sheets into their usual position: Edgeworth on his back, Phoenix with his head on Edgeworth's chest and his arm around Edgeworth's waist.

"But, I mean, if you wanted to buy me a nice new Tempur-Pedic, I certainly wouldn't try to stop you," Phoenix says into Edgeworth's chest, and the other man rolls his eyes in the dark.

  


* * *

  


**February 25th, 2028, 11:42pm  
Future Wright-Gramarye-Edgeworth Household?**

"You may think it's too much," Edgeworth says, and although he's doing a very good job of hiding it, Phoenix can tell by his posture--leaning away from them rather than toward them, all his weight on one foot instead of evenly distributed on both--that he's nervous. "But keep an open mind and I think you'll find this to be exactly what we've been looking for."

"Miles," Thalassa says, smiling with a quiet amusement. "We'll never know for sure if you don't let us off the stoop and into the house."

Edgeworth blushes, immediately fumbling in his pockets for the keys. Phoenix can hear him murmuring apologies as he slides the key into the lock.

"Miles," Thalassa breathes, stepping into the foyer. "It's beautiful."

And it is, with a ceiling that spans all three floors to showcase a large skylight; dark, rich wooden floors; and a seemingly endless hallway that alludes to a certain amount of expansiveness in the rest of the house.

"You think it's too much," Edgeworth says, watching Thalassa's face carefully.

"I love it," she says, the awe evident in her voice. "But how can we possibly afford this?"

"Don't worry about that," Edgeworth says immediately. "Just allow me to show you around, then tell me what you think."

The house is three floors, with a small suite in the basement for Apollo and a large master bedroom--and office--for Edgeworth and Phoenix on the third floor, with bedrooms for everyone else on the second. It's more than Thalassa or Phoenix could have imagined.

"Miles," Thalassa begins, looking around what would be her bedroom with evident marvel. The room is sunny, with large windows providing a lovely view of the park across the street. "I think maybe this actually is too much."

"We're going to have seven people in here," Phoenix says, quick to react before Edgeworth can say something self-deprecating. "Four adults and two more who are almost there. Space is important."

Thalassa nods, running her hand over the windowsill. "It's so beautiful."

"I'd like for the others to see it as well before we make a final decision, but if you want it, it's yours," Edgeworth says.

"I can't let you just buy us all a house," she says, turning back to face the two men.

"We're going to help," Phoenix says, cutting Edgeworth off. "And don't fuss with us about it, Miles."

Edgeworth holds up his hands in defeat, knowing better than to try to argue against the both of them.

  


* * *

  


**March 16th 2028 2:34pm  
Wright Anything Agency**

"I don't understand why you won't just talk to me about this. Clearly something is bothering you."

"I wish you wouldn't use your Spider Senses on me," Phoenix snaps, and Apollo's vision focuses in on the man's fingers tapping against the desk in irritation. "You don't see me pulling out the magatama for chats around the dinner table."

"Don't be an asshole."

Phoenix spends another few seconds glaring at the younger man, then his expression softens into guilt. "Sorry. That was uncalled for."

"What's going on?" Apollo asks, sitting down in the chair on the opposite side of the desk. "You act like I'm asking you to murder puppies or something."

The fallen attorney looks down at the scattered paperwork in front of him, avoiding Apollo's eyes. When he doesn't respond, Apollo continues, "You were a brilliant defense lawyer, Phoenix. And if the stories are to be believed, you enjoyed it, too. And now you have a chance to get all of that back, and you won't take it. Why?"

Phoenix takes a deep breath, gathering his thoughts, and asks, "Did it ever occur to you that I like what I'm doing now?"

Apollo's mouth quirks into a frown. "Of course, but how much longer are they going to need a Jurist System Integration Specialist? Things seem pretty... integrated."

"Things are integrated. So integrated that there is no longer a Jurist System Integration Specialist."

"What?"

Phoenix shifts uncomfortably in his seat. His words coming out in a rush, he says, "Basically, eight months ago we decided that the Jurist System Integration Specialist position was no longer necessary and they were doing away with it. I was offered a position on the oversight board, which I took. Except there was nothing to oversee, really; things were running pretty smoothly without my intervention. And the three other members of the board were people I trusted to do good work even if I wasn't there to constantly peek over their shoulders. So I left."

"This was eight months ago?"

"Yes."

"And you're doing what now?"

"Now I'm working for a non-profit whose goal, pretty much, is to bring back jury duty."

"Jury duty."

"It's important," Phoenix says, a suddden intensity about him. "We're running out of volunteers, and without the jury, there's no Jurist System. I can't let that happen."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Apollo asks, incredulous.

Phoenix shrugs, his eyes sliding away from Apollo. "No one asked."

Apollo stares at the other man, struggling to make sense of what he's being told. As he pieces a picture together in his brain, he feels his heart sink into his stomach. Knowing he's probably crossing a line, he says, "Kristoph is in jail, Phoenix."

"What?" he asks in response, seeming genuinely confused.

"I know that I have no way of understanding what you went through in the seven years before we met, but I know you spent a lot of that time in single-minded pursuit of Kristoph Gavin. And that seems to have entailed a lot of doing things by yourself, for yourself--a bit of living a double-life. But Kristoph is in jail now, and I am not him."

"I never said--"

"I know you didn't. But if you're worried about telling your family that you've switched jobs, for Christ's sake, then clearly something is going on. And I can't help but think Kristoph has something to do with it." He pauses, wondering if he should say this next part. He has to. "And I can tell by the way your fingers are drumming against that desk that I'm right."

"The card," Phoenix says cryptically, side-stepping the topic of Kristoph.

"The card?"

"When you represented me, I gave you a playing card. One that was not admissible as evidence."

"That's true..."

"And I'm not sure I wouldn't do it again, things being as they are" Phoenix says frankly. "Our legal system is a mess, and I don't trust it to mete out justice. And if I were still a lawyer, I don't trust that I wouldn't take it upon myself to mete out justice of my own."

He sighs, running a hand through his spikes, and continues, "And I'm good at this, too. Really good. And I'm making more of a difference than I could as a lawyer, without having to compromise my values to do the right thing."

Apollo nods, seeing the man in front of him with new eyes. "Maybe I'd want to help you with that."

"You have a budding career as a brilliant defense attorney, and your success can only grow. Why would you want to sacrifice that?"

"I like doing the right thing, too."

Phoenix shakes his head. "It's just as important for there to be good, principled defense lawyers."

"Isn't that exactly what I've been telling you?" Apollo asks, resisting a self-satisfied smirk.

"Yes, and I agree with you completely. I just don't think that I'm one of them."

"Phoenix..."

"Don't feel sorry for me, Apollo. I like what I'm doing now, and it's important work."

"And when you get jury duty reinstated?" Apollo asks. "Will you come back then?"

There's a twinkle in his eye as Phoenix answers, "Oh, that's just the beginning.

"The beginning?"

"After that, we're going to take on the three-day trial system."

Apollo's eyes widen. It's an idea almost unheard of, and when it is heard it's almost uniformly laughed out of the conversation. But after his initial shock, Apollo finds himself fixated on something else: "We?"

"Me and Miles," Phoenix clarifies. "Who else?"

  


* * *

  


**April 16th, 2028 3:14am  
Miles Edgeworth's Hotel Room**

"Hm?" Edgeworth mutters into the phone, foggy with sleep.

"Can you meet us at the hospital?" Phoenix asks, sounding mildly panicked.

"Wha--?"

"It's baby time! I have to go! Meet us there!"

The receiver clicks as Phoenix hangs up the phone. Edgeworth lies in bed for another few seconds, slowly rising to consciousness. When the meaning behind Phoenix's words clicks, he bolts upright in bed.

It's baby time.

  


* * *

  


**April 16th, 2028 5:24am  
Hickfield Clinic**

Phoenix finds Edgeworth down the hall, fussing with the coffee vending machine.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to get a cup of coffee," Edgeworth says, in a tone that implies it should be obvious what it is that he's doing. "Do you have any crisp bills?"

Phoenix fishes around in his wallet until he finds a dollar that is reasonably smooth. As he feeds the bill into the vending machine, Edgeworth asks, "Shouldn't you be with Thalassa?"

"It's Apollo's turn. And I had to pee." After Edgeworth gets his cup of black, they sit down together on the bench next to the coffee machine and Phoenix continues, "Trucy said you've been gone for half an hour. I can't imagine you've been fighting with technology that entire time."

"I needed a little space."

"This is weird for you," Phoenix observes, watching Edgeworth rotate the cup of coffee in his hands without bringing it to his lips.

"A little," he admits. "But this isn't the time to be worrying about me."

"I always worry about you," Phoenix says. "I love you."

He doesn't need to look at the other man to know he's blushing.

"I'll be fine. Really."

They fall into an amiable silence, and Edgeworth takes an experimental sip of his coffee, scowling when it hits his tongue. He wordlessly passes the cup to Phoenix, who drinks it in two gulps.

"I know you'd probably rather be at the office, passing the time with work instead of sitting around in the hospital with nothing to do but worry."

"Yes," Edgewroth says simply, "I would."

"But here you are."

"Here I am."

Phoenix takes Edgeworth's hand, and they stand to join the others.

  


* * *

  


**April 16th, 2028 6:17am  
Hickfield Clinic**

Diana Mia Wright-Gramarye weighs eight pounds and nine ounces. She has a full head of dark brown hair and slate blue eyes.

She is the most beautiful thing Phoenix has ever seen.


End file.
